China, the US and Taiwan

China has a very interesting relationship with Taiwan. However, the status quo is being challenged by President Trumps rhetoric. In this post, we talk about the future of the One China Policy.

Resolution for today: The United States should oppose the One China Policy.

Background: 

  • Taiwan is an island nation off the coast of mainland China. Taiwan has been historically independent. Taiwan has its own government and maintains embassies around the world. 
  • Less than 20 nations recognize the island nation of Taiwan as being distinct from mainland China. 
  • The United States has supported the One China policy since 1979 when they switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to the People’s Republic of China (PRC).  The policy holds that there is only one legal government of China, located in Beijing, and that Taiwan is a breakaway territory that is still a part of China, regardless of the views of the people of the island. 
  • For most countries, they must recognize this policy and cut off ties with Taiwan if they want to maintain relations with China. 
  • Donald Trump called the United States standing on the policy into question when he accepted a congratulatory phone call from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and when declared that even the One China policy was “under negotiation.” 

Government: 

  • The United States maintains support and diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The United States sold $1.8 billion in arms sales to Taiwan last year and maintains a series of treaties that assert the United States willingness to help Taiwan maintain their military defense. 
  • The United States has a semi functioning embassy and allows Taiwan to operate one in the United States. 
  • The Taiwan Relations Act guarantees military support for the island if they are attacked. (China has threatened to attack Taiwan if they ever declare independence.) 
  • Taiwan maintains embassies, have created hospitals, and offer aid packages to mainly third world countries that support them. 
  • The United States has an obligation to support democracies.
  • The United States could leverage this agreement with the Chinese to get a more favorable trade deal and possibly solve some of the problems of the South China Sea. 

Opposition: 

  • Could cause the next great war. It could lead to a bloody war that might devolve into a nuclear standoff. 
  • If the United States were to declare support for Taiwan it is likely that China would attack Taiwan or it could embolden Taiwan to declare independence, causing the Chinese to attack. 
  • This would harm the US relationship with China.
  • The people of Taiwan do not want the US to change the One China policy.

Reading List: 

https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2016/12/14/can-trump-get-tough-with-china/the-one-china-policy-benefits-china-taiwan-and-the-us
https://www.brookings.edu/research/a-one-china-policy-primer/
https://thediplomat.com/2017/02/trump-taiwan-and-the-one-china-policy/
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2053881/what-one-china-policy-and-how-did-it-become-bedrock
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/02/10/what-is-one-china-policy/97752880/
https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2017/03/14/what-is-the-one-china-policy
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-38285354

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