Taiwan-China Relations: Decades of Tension

Taiwan and China have had tense relationships for decades, The US, and other countries have promised to defend Taiwan should a Chinese invasion happen. The US has consistently supplied Taiwan with weapons since 1979, and recently the US sent a weapons package to Taiwan worth over $345 million. Taiwan is all over the news, but why is this significant? Why is the US spending so much on Defending Taiwan? Why is Taiwan so politically important?

It all started after World War II, when China had a major Civil War. The war was fought between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and the Nationalist Party, also called the Kuomintang party or KMT for short. The CCP won the civil war, and created the Peoples ‘Republic’ of China, this is the same government that currently leads China. The defeated KMT retreated to the Island of Taiwan off the coast of Mainland China. Taiwan had been part of Japan since 1895, but at the end of World War II, the Japanese had been forced to give it up as part of the Surrender Agreement. So, the KMT set up their government on the Island in the Early 1950’s. Tensions have existed between Taiwan and China ever since.

Taiwan sees itself as a separate nation than China. If you go to Taiwan and ask people if they consider themselves to be part of the Mainland, they will tell you no. The Taiwanese people have a government separate from China, they have different leaders, different election methods, they have separate elections from China, different currency, a completely different form of government, and many other differences.

China has something called the “One China” policy, they believe that all of Mainland China, Tibet, and Taiwan are all part of “One China”. Tibet is a whole separate issue, and one that would have to be discussed in a separate article, but Taiwan does not believe in the One China policy. They are, and consider themselves to be a separate nation from China.

The U.S. wants to make sure Taiwan is well equipped because they have promised to defend Taiwan, and by giving Taiwan good weapons and support, the U.S. hopes to prevent China from attacking Taiwan. They also want to make sure China does not get too powerful in that part of the world.

Taiwan is all over the news because the whole world would be affected by a war between China and Taiwan. Taiwan produces a lot of pieces for modern technology, including technological pieces used in cell phones. Also because the US and other countries have promised to defend Taiwan, many countries would be drawn into war. So there is a lot of pressure on the 111-mile-long Taiwan Strait.

In conclusion, the tense and complex relationship between Taiwan and China has historical roots going back to World War II. Taiwan, despite its geographical closeness to China, identifies itself as a separate nation, with its own distinct government, leaders, elections, and way of life. China, on the other hand, asserts a "One China" policy, which Taiwan strongly rejects.

The United States, along with other nations, has promised to support and defend Taiwan.

Taiwan's significance goes beyond its borders. It impacts the world economy and technological production. The world closely watches for developments in the Taiwan Strait, as any conflict involving Taiwan and China could have widespread effects on the world. Taiwan is at the center of the world’s stage, and the future of Taiwan is really the future of the world.