Essay Sample on the Relationship Between China, Taiwan, and the United States

Introduction

International relationships between or among nations are. Effective and favorable relationships set a foundation for general growth and development of the states involved. A good relationship tends to promote the economy, political capacity and social aspects of the engaged countries (Saxenian, 2002). However, the relationship between China, Taiwan, and the United States has currently been faced with various challenges and complications. For instance, the China Republic had sent strategic bombers to Taiwan and the United States regarding naval port calls to Taiwan that has led to criticism from the Government of China. The paper talks about the facts on the Sovereign status of Taiwan and it separation from China; whether the United States acknowledges the Republic of China as government and Taiwan as part of the Republic of China (ROC), the challenges regarding the trade-offs that are faced by China, the degree of China involvement in Taiwan's dilemma, and how the lousy relationship between China and United States impacts on Taiwan.

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How the Rift between Taiwan and China Occurred

Taiwan is a state in East Asia that neighbors Japan to the North East and the Philippines to the south. It has the largest economy and is never a member of the United Nations. Taiwan is a relatively small Island that is located off the coast of China with a population of 28.2 million. After the end of the Chinese Civil war in 1949, some of the nationalists who had lost in the war hat to surrender and retreat to Taiwan while the winning communist had founded the People's Republic of China in Beijing and even considered Taiwan to be part of China, and had to focus on the national unification(Friedberg, 2005). In Taiwan, the main aim was to reestablish China authority under the existing martial law in 1987. Currently, the Republic of China has attained its democracy, and the ideology that Taiwan is one of the provinces of China is no longer useful or debatable with the population in Taiwan considering themselves independent from the Republic of China. However, the Nationalist Party still pays lip service while the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) which is the ruling party does not pay slip.

It is believed that the original settlers in Taiwan are Austronesian tribal people from modern-day southern China. Taiwan Island was shown in Chinese records in AD239 by the time China sent a force to explore the Beijing territorial claim. However, after World War II, the Republic of China started to rule Taiwan with the support of the United States and the United Kingdom. Chiang government (Mainland Chinese) fled to Taiwan in 1949 and dominated Taiwan politics. The hostility between China and Taiwan became intense in the 1980s forcing China to introduce one country and two systems strategy which was, howver, rejected by Taiwan. Taiwan decided to elect President Chen Shui-bian who had openly pushed for independence.

The relationship between Taiwan and the United States started during World War II and the Cold War. The United States Congress later passed the Taiwan Relations Act with the intention to provide Taiwan with weapons to attack China. This became clear when the United States sent military power in Asia since the Vietnam War and sending ships to the Taiwan Strait after China had carried out a missile test to influence the Taiwan presidential elections. The United States over the decades had only recognized and acknowledged the ROC but regarded the People's Republic of China as the legitimate government until 1979 when Beijing and Washington formulated assigned strategic agreement. Nevertheless, the United States tends to have personal ties with the Taiwan government.

How China was recognized as a Nation by the United States and the United Nations and the Role Played by the United States

By recognizing China as a nation, President Jimmy Carter of the United States granted full diplomatic recognition and signed an agreement, a move that was supported by the United Nations. The Government of China is recognized as the sole legitimate government in the United Nations and is one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council Nations. The United States tends to be much interested in Taiwan's security since the country has a more vibrant democracy and strategic position regarding the region. Therefore, the United States opts to prevent China from attacking Taiwan.

Current Events Regarding China, Taiwan, and United States Relationship

In recent times, the United States has shown a tendency to apply its deterrence in a relatively indirect manner such as selling of weapon to Taiwan and even formulating specific policies such as the Taiwan Travel Act based on the United States interests. This has continuously made Beijing retreat on realizing that the United States supports Taiwan. The United States decision on its deterrence techniques such as allowing the high-ranking officials from Taiwan to visit the United States, selling Weapon to Taiwan and initiation of naval port calls has compromised the United States-China relations relationships.

Also, Taiwan seems to gain from a stable and reliable U.S.-China relationship and that a good United States-China relation promotes Beijing to have a stable status quo equally. Involvement of the United States in the military conflict would negatively impact on the relationship among the three countries. Therefore, better relations between Taiwan and the United States may make Beijing be adversely affected when it goes ahead to initiate a war on Taiwan Strait, but Taiwan is likely to benefit in a relatively more excellent way. For instance, on Apr 30, 2018, there has been an endless discussion on U.S. port calls in Taiwan has not been of significance in assisting in the rising tension between Taiwan, and China even attempted to send a strategic team to Taiwan to help explore on the issue. Also, recently president Trump has had various signals regarding the relationship between Taiwan and China, and it is said that he even approved over 1.4 billion dollars sales of United States arm to Taiwan. Moreover, Taiwan's defense minister recently reported how the Chinese warplanes have enhanced flights around Taiwan.

The People's Republic of China occasionally applies coercion and threats to influence Taiwan's independence and their aim of unification negatively. For instance, the enhancement of strategic bomber missions and attempts to isolate Taiwan in international affairs as a way to sanction the president of Taiwan for recognizing that Taiwan was part of China. Beijing currently attempts to convince Taiwanese voters to support the Nationalist Party and also to affirm the nationalists in China that their government remains resolute on the Taiwan issue. Due to such complicated measures, Taiwan has had challenges of attaining its full independence and even the people of China coerce Taiwanese by trying to involve their talents into China with united fronts. Moreover, Beijing applies even some degree of inducement to convince the Taiwan residents which tends to be ineffectual, resulting in alienation of Taiwanese population. But the war would be costly with the US staying out; therefore, it was not an option.

Conclusion

The People's Republic of China regards Taiwan Island as a province, but Taiwan is a government on its own with a democratically elected government. Regardless of the sovereignty dispute, the economic ties between Taiwan and the mainland have enhanced over the years. However, a certain degree of political disagreements is still a major challenge affecting the China-Taiwan relationship forcing the United States government to intervene at some points. The United States intervention has often resulted in tense relationship with Beijing.

References

Friedberg, A. L. (2005). The future of US-China relations: Is conflict inevitable?. International security, 30(2), 7-45. HYPERLINK "https://www.jstor.org/stable/4137594

Hsu, J. Y., & Saxenian, A. (2000). The limits of guanxi capitalism: transnational collaboration between Taiwan and the USA. Environment and Planning A, 32(11), 1991-2005. https://www.researchgate.net/.../23538881_The_limits_of_guanxi_capitalism_Transnatio...

Saxenian, A. (2002). Transnational communities and the evolution of global production networks: the cases of Taiwan, China, and India. Industry and innovation, 9(3), 183-202. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1366271022000034453