Taiwan

Taiwan ({{zh-tspw|t=臺灣 or 台灣|s=台湾|p=Táiwān|w=T'ai-wan}}; Taiwanese: Tâi-oân) is an island in East Asia located off the coast of mainland China, south of Japan and north of the Philippines. "Taiwan" is commonly used to refer to the territories currently governed by the Republic of China (ROC), which include the Taiwan island group (including Lanyu (Orchid Island) and Green Island), the Pescadores in the Taiwan Strait, Quemoy and Matsu off the coast of mainland Fujian, and Taiping and the Pratas in the South China Sea.

Political status

Main article: political status of Taiwan

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Most nations recognize Taiwan as part of China, and do not recognize Taiwan as a separate, sovereign nation. However, within Taiwan itself, there is a controversy over whether Taiwan should remain the Republic of China (ROC), become unified with the People's Republic of China (PRC), or become a new Republic of Taiwan.

Related Topics:
People's Republic of China - Republic of Taiwan

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From 1895 to 1945, Taiwan and the Pescadores was a Japanese colony, a concession by the Qing Empire after it lost the First Sino-Japanese War. After Japan's defeat at the end of World War II in 1945, the Republic of China occupied Taiwan on behalf of the Allies. In 1949, upon losing the Chinese Civil War to the Communist Party of China, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) retreated from mainland China and moved the ROC government to Taipei, Taiwan's largest city, while continuing to claim sovereignty over all of China and Mongolia. On the mainland, the Communists established the People's Republic of China, claiming to be the successor state of both the mainland and Taiwan and portraying the ROC government on Taiwan as an illegitimate entity.

Related Topics:
Qing Empire - First Sino-Japanese War - World War II - Republic of China - Chinese Civil War - Communist Party of China - Kuomintang - Mainland China - Taipei - China - Mongolia - People's Republic of China

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Taiwan has been transformed into a major industrialized economy and is touted as one of the East Asian Tigers. Meanwhile, political reforms beginning in the late 1970s and continuing through the early 1990s liberalized the Republic of China from an authoritarian one-party state into a localized multiparty democracy. In 2000, the KMT's monopoly on power ended after the Democratic Progressive Party won the ROC presidency. Besides groups seeking the reunification of Taiwan with the mainland, there is a Taiwan independence movement that seeks to establish a Taiwanese republic. The competing claims over the future of Taiwan have made and continue to make Taiwan's political status a contentious issue, with no clear consensus among the Taiwanese population.

Related Topics:
East Asian Tigers - Democratic Progressive Party - ROC presidency - Reunification of Taiwan with the mainland - Taiwan independence - Taiwanese republic - Political status

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There are many people in Taiwan who favor eventual Chinese reunification, or at least a maintenance of the status quo. Proponents favoring eventual reunification or the status quo point out that in light of Taiwan's historical status as a part of China, there is neither a basis in international law nor support among the nations for Taiwanese independence. Moreover, given that Taiwan already enjoys de facto political and economic autonomy akin to that of sovereign nations, the marginal benefits of formally declaring independence do not justify the risks. These proponents noted that China's rapid liberalization and emergence as a world superpower -- as well as the gradual convergence of living standards between Taiwan and mainland China -- indicate that eventual reunification is in the best interests of Taiwan. On the other hand, the position of the current Chen Shui-bian (who won his current presidential term by a very narrow and controversial margin) administration is that Taiwan is synonymous with the Republic of China, and therefore an independent and sovereign state whose legitimacy lies in popular sovereignty. In addition, a right-wing independence movement exists in Taiwan either rejecting the legality of ROC or calling for the creation of a Republic of Taiwan in place of the ROC. Political commentators have observed that the narrow and controversial margin of the most recent presidential election suggests that (a) there is no clear consensus within Taiwan as to its political status; (b) the current administration has no political mandate for independence; and (c) the supermajority typically required by democratic principles for changes to constitutional arrangements to allow independence is absent.

Related Topics:
Chinese reunification - Chen Shui-bian - Popular sovereignty - Independence movement - Republic of Taiwan - Supermajority

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However, the rapid economic growth and gradual liberalization of mainland China may eventually render moot or vitiate some of the cited reasons for independence, namely, social, economic and political differences between Taiwan and mainland China. Inasmuch as the economic ties between Taiwan and mainland China are increasing and mainland China is gaining growing influence in Asia and globally, many Taiwanese business interests have begun to distance themselves from the independence movement.

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The KMT supports the status quo for the indefinite future because unification under the Communist Party is unacceptable to its members and the public. The Democratic Progressive Party, which supports an independent Taiwan, supports the status quo because the risk of declaring independence and provoking mainland China is unacceptable to its members. However, both parties support taking active steps to advocate Taiwan's participation in international organizations. The numbers who answer favorably toward any particular resolution often changes depending on the particular wording of the question, illustrating the complexity of public opinion on the topic.

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Currently there are 26 states -- mostly small, third-world nations in Africa and South America -- that have diplomatic relations with the Republic of China, although many countries such as the United States and United Kingdom have only de-facto embassies in Taiwan – the United States, for example, maintains diplomatic relations through the American Institute in Taiwan. ROC's de facto embassies are referred to as "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Offices" (TECRO), with branch offices, the equivalent of consulates, called "Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices" (TECO). Each year, the government of the Republic of China petitions the UN for entry but has so far been unsuccessful because most countries, including the United States, view Taiwan as part of China. The ROC sometimes uses the name Chinese Taipei in the Olympics and other international events.

Related Topics:
United States - United Kingdom - Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Offices - Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices - Chinese Taipei

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