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TAIWAN’S FOREIGN RELATIONS
Overview:
The foreign relations of Taiwan, constitutionally and officially the Republic of
China (ROC), are the relations between the Republic of China and other
countries. The Republic of China is recognized by 21 United Nations member
states, as well as by the Holy See. ROC maintains diplomatic relations with
those countries, as well as unofficial relations with other countries via its
representative offices and consulates.
International Disputes
The 1970s saw a switch in diplomatic recognition from the ROC to the PRC,
with countries like the United States, Japan, and Canada making the switch
during that decade. In October 1971, Resolution 2758 was passed by the UN
General Assembly, expelling "the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek" and
transferred China's seat on the Security Council to the PRC. The resolution
declared that "the representatives of the Government of the People's Republic
of China are the only lawful representatives of China to the United
Nations."Many attempts by the ROC to rejoin the UN, in recent years, have
not made it past committee, under fierce opposition and threatened vetoes by
the PRC. Attempts under President Chen Shui-bian attempted the argument
that Resolution 2758, replacing the ROC with the PRC in 1971, only
addressed the question of who should have China's seat in the UN, rather
than whether an additional seat for the Taiwan Area can be created to
represent the 23 million people on Taiwan and other islands. The argument,
however, has not been accepted by the UN. On less official terms, Taiwan is
involved in a complex dispute for control over the Spratly Islands with China,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; and over the Paracel
Islands, occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and by Taiwan. Taiwan
claims the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands, which are called the
Diaoyu Islands in Taiwan and China.
Number of countries recognizing ROC and PRC
Year
Recognition of ROC
Recognition of PRC
1969
71
48
1971
68
53
1973
31
89
1978
21
112
1986
23
134
1990
28
139
2012
23
172
2013
22
172
Cross-strait Relations
Cross-Strait relations refer to the relations between the following two political
entities, which are separated by the Taiwan Strait in the west Pacific Ocean:
The People's Republic of China, abbreviated as PRC, commonly known as
China or mainland China, and the Republic of China, abbreviated as ROC,
commonly known as Taiwan. In 1949, with the Chinese Civil War turning
decisively in the Communists' (CPC) favor, the ROC government led by the
Kuomintang (KMT) retreated to Taipei, in Taiwan, while the CPC proclaimed
the PRC government in Beijing. Since then, the relations between China and
Taiwan have been characterized by limited contact, tensions, and instability.
In the early years, military conflicts continued, while diplomatically both
governments competed to be the "legitimate government of China". More
recently, questions around the political and legal status of Taiwan have
focused on the alternative prospects of political unification with China or full
Taiwanese independence. The People's Republic remains hostile to any
formal declaration of independence and maintains its claim over Taiwan. At
the same time, non-governmental and semi-governmental exchanges
between the two sides have been increasing. From 2008, negotiations began
to restore the "three links" (transportation, commerce, and communications)
between the two sides, cut off since 1949. Party-to-party talks between the
CPC and the KMT have resumed and semi-official negotiations through
organizations representing the interests of their respective governments are
being scheduled. PRC through CPC basically affirms the granting of
Taiwanese autonomy in its “One Country, Two Systems” Policy in the event of
Mainland-Taiwan reunification in the future.
State comparison
Name
People's Republic of
China
Republic of China (Taiwan)
Area
9,706,961 km² (3,747,879
sq mi)
36,193 km² (13,974 sq mi)
Population
1,350,695,000 (2013)
23,373,517 (2014)
Population
Density
139.6/km² (363.3/sq mi)
644/km² (1,664/sq mi)
Capital
Beijing
Taipei
Largest city
Shanghai (23,019,148)
New Taipei City (3,935,072)
Unitary semiUnitary single-party socialist
Government
presidential constitutional
republic
republic
State
Leaders
President: Xi Jinping
Premier: Li Keqiang
President: Ma Ying-jeou
Premier: Jiang Yi-huah
Official
languages
Mandarin (Putonghua)
Mandarin (Guoyu)
Official
script
Simplified Chinese
characters
Traditional Chinese characters
GDP
(nominal)
$9,325,300 (millions of
USD)
$473,971 (millions of USD)
GDP (PPP)
$12,383,000 (millions of
USD)
$903,469 (millions of USD)
GDP
(nominal)
per capita
$6,853
$20,328
GDP (PPP)
per capita
$10,253
$38,749
Gini
coefficients
47.4 (high)
34.2 (medium)
Human
Development 0.699 (medium)
Index
Foreign
exchange
reserves
0.882 (very high)
3,341,000 (millions of USD) 406,062 (millions of USD)
$106.4 billion (2012) - 2.1% $8.888 billion (2013) - 2.3%
Military
(2012)
expenditures (2012)
- % of GDP
One China Policy
The One-China policy (simplified Chinese: 一个中国政策; traditional Chinese:
一個中國政策 ; pinyin: yī gè Zhōngguó zhèngcè) refers to the policy or view
that there is only one state called "China", despite the existence of two
governments that claim to be "China".
As a policy, this means that countries seeking diplomatic relations with the
People's Republic of China (PRC) must break official relations with the
Republic of China (ROC) and vice versa. Hence, all the countries recognizing
the ROC recognize it as the sole legitimate representative of all of China and
not just the island of Taiwan and other islands which it controls. Similarly, all
states that recognize the PRC either recognise the PRC as the legitimate
representative of Taiwan or acknowledge the PRC's views on the matter.
One China Principle
The One China policy is also different from the "One China" principle
(一個中國原則/一个中国原则), which is the principle that insists both Taiwan
and mainland China are inalienable parts of a single "China". A modified form
of the "One China" principle known as the 1992 Consensus is the current
policy of both the PRC and ROC governments. Under this consensus, both
governments agree that there is only one sovereign state encompassing both
mainland China and Taiwan, but disagree about which of the two
governments is the legitimate government of this state.
Legal Positions on the Political Status of Taiwan
People's Republic of China (PRC)
Preamble of the Constitution:
"Taiwan is part of the sacred territory of the People's Republic of China. It is
the lofty duty of the entire Chinese people, including our compatriots in
Taiwan, to accomplish the great task of reunifying the motherland."
Anti-Secession Law:
Article 2:
There is only one China in the world. Both the mainland and Taiwan belong to
one China. China's sovereignty and territorial integrity brook no division.
Safeguarding China's sovereignty and territorial integrity is the common
obligation of all Chinese people, the Taiwan compatriots included.
Taiwan is part of China. The state shall never allow the "Taiwan
independence" secessionist forces to make Taiwan secede from China under
any name or by any means.
Article 5:
Upholding the principle of one China is the basis of peaceful reunification of
the country.
To reunify the country through peaceful means best serves the fundamental
interests of the compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. The state
shall do its utmost with maximum sincerity to achieve a peaceful reunification.
After the country is reunified peacefully, Taiwan may practice systems
different from those on the mainland and enjoy a high degree of autonomy.
Republic of China (ROC)
Article 4 of the Constitution:
"The territory of the Republic of China according to its existing national
boundaries shall not be altered except by resolution of the National
Assembly." (Effective 1948 to 2000.)
Article 4 of the 6th Additional Articles of the Constitution:
"The territory of the Republic of China, defined by its existing national
boundaries, shall not be altered unless initiated upon the proposal of onefourth of all members of the Legislative Yuan, passed by three-fourths of the
members of the Legislative Yuan present at a meeting requiring a quorum of
three-fourths of all the members, and approved by three-fourths of the
delegates to the National Assembly present at a meeting requiring a quorum
of two-thirds of all the delegates." (Effective 2000 to 2005)
Article 4 of the 7th Additional Articles of the Constitution:
"The territory of the Republic of China, defined by its existing national
boundaries, shall not be altered unless initiated upon the proposal of onefourth of the total members of the Legislative Yuan, passed by at least threefourths of the members present at a meeting attended by at least threefourths of the total members of the Legislative Yuan, and sanctioned by
electors in the free area of the Republic of China at a referendum held upon
expiration of a six-month period of public announcement of the proposal,
wherein the number of valid votes in favor exceeds one-half of the total
number of electors." (Effective 2005 to present)
Position of the United States
The position of the United States, as clarified in the China/Taiwan: Evolution
of the "One China" Policy report of the Congressional Research Service (date:
July 9, 2007) is summed up in five points:
The United States did not explicitly state the sovereign status of Taiwan in the
three US-PRC Joint Communiqués of 1972, 1979, and 1982.
1.The United States "acknowledged" the "One China" position of both sides of
the Taiwan Strait.
2.US policy has not recognized the PRC's sovereignty over Taiwan;
3.US policy has not recognized Taiwan as a sovereign country; and
4.US policy has considered Taiwan's status as undetermined. U.S. policy has
considered Taiwan’s status as unsettled.
References:
Taiwan profile. (2012). CIA World Factbook. Retrieved September 13, 2014
from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
geos/print/country/countrypdf_tw.pdf.
The economist Taiwan political profile. (2014). The Economist Intelligence
Unit.Retrieved September 13, 2014 from http://country.eiu.com/taiwan.
Taiwan political history and economy. (2005). Library of Congress. Retrieved
September
13,
2014
from
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Taiwan.pdf.
Taiwan foreign affairs landscape. (2012). Foreign Affairs Magazine. Retrieved
September 13, 2014 from http://www.foreignaffairs.com/
regions/asia/east%20asia/Taiwan.
Taiwan foreign policy brief. (2012). Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Retrieved https://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/taiwan/taiwan_brief.html.
Chinese Taipei Profile. OECD. Retrieved September 13, 2014 from
http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-AssetManagement/oecd/governance/country-review_clp-105kmjlgt6j0wj#page1