China, Taiwan, and America, Japan
China and Taiwan is one of the most controversial issue in the world politics today. I have been thinking of writing about China and Taiwan for quite a long time. I was also doing some research on the various aspects of this issue. Recently, both the countries were in news for holding peace talks, with the Taiwanese premier's historic visit to the mainland (yes, I will call Taiwan a country; not to offend Chinese people but just to maintain a fair comparison and because I learned it, as a child, to be that). I was waiting for something tangible to happen due to these measures but since the reconciliation period is now more or less over with Taiwan refusing to hold any further talks, I will just write off this article.
Historically, before 1949, Taiwan was a part of China, both being governed as a Republic. When communism took over in China in 1949, the republican party fled the mainland to escape communists and established itself in Taiwan. Both the countries have since then prospered and have grown as major industrial, manufacturing and technological hubs. Taiwan was one of those 'East Asian Tiger' economies that have played significant part in 1980s till 1995 when the region came under economic depression.
Since 1949, China has always tried to increase its border and expand its control over the region. It has border issues with India over Arunachal Pradesh, controls a part of Kashmir, and assumed control of Tibet, Hong Kong (in 1997) and Macau (a small island south of Hong Kong in 1999). It went over a war with India in 1965 over the control of some region to its west. Characterstic of its policies, China has never recognized Taiwan as a separate state and always considers it as its own part.
Taiwan, of course, resists any such claim. For one, to be frank, no sane democracy today would like to become or join a communist state. Secondly, the government of Taiwan fears that communist leaders will execute them once they join the mainland on the charges of treason to the state. Thirdly, in general, no independent state would like to become a part of another state.
So, where do America and Japan come to the picture? America has been playing a vanguard for spread of democracy for a very long time now and is still very active in that. Japan, though, not much pro-active for democracy has another reason to support Taiwan. The presence of an independent country in the east really cuts off the naval region of control of China in the Pacific which in turn gives advantage to Japan. Japan sees China as a major threat to itself. Chinese policies of always increasing its borders and an isolationist attitude towards its neighbors have not helped in assuaging those fears either. Both America and Japan have signed treaties to help Taiwan in case China attacks the small island, just 200 km away from the mainland. However, interesting enough and ironic enough, both America and Japan, under the influence of ever increasing Chinese economy, have recognized Taiwan as a part of China. You can now say, WHAT! It doesn't make any sense! I would then say that Politics is an art, and, just like a modern art, it is not for foolishly sane people, like most of us, to understand.
Now, I come to the real core part of this article. WHY AM I favoring Taiwan and not considering China's point of view at all? I am filled with anger for some militants who using Pakistan army-provided machine guns try to claim Kashmir as their own and kill innocent children, women and men. Ain't I biased against China, when I disregard any claims by Pakistan for independent Kashmir, whereas consider claims by America and Japan for an independent Taiwan as legitimate?
The answer is No. There are many differences. For one, Taiwan is already a separated part. It has an independent government as old as the government of China. The communist governement of China had never had any role in the governing and development of Taiwan. This comes to the second difference. Taiwan is a well developed, self built economy. If a small state like Kashmir becomes independent, it will have to protect itself always from Pakistan (who is obviously supporting Kashmir for no altruistic reasons), and play the discouraging role that other small neighboring countries of India play - they can never be close enough to India and they can never live without India. China's claim for Taiwan is not like India's claim for Kashmir. But it is like India claiming for whole of Pakistan as its own state, if there had been such a claim.
Taiwanese people have proved themselves to be capable of successfully managing themselves and to take anything like that away from them against their wishes would be to go back to the imperialism era.
Historically, before 1949, Taiwan was a part of China, both being governed as a Republic. When communism took over in China in 1949, the republican party fled the mainland to escape communists and established itself in Taiwan. Both the countries have since then prospered and have grown as major industrial, manufacturing and technological hubs. Taiwan was one of those 'East Asian Tiger' economies that have played significant part in 1980s till 1995 when the region came under economic depression.
Since 1949, China has always tried to increase its border and expand its control over the region. It has border issues with India over Arunachal Pradesh, controls a part of Kashmir, and assumed control of Tibet, Hong Kong (in 1997) and Macau (a small island south of Hong Kong in 1999). It went over a war with India in 1965 over the control of some region to its west. Characterstic of its policies, China has never recognized Taiwan as a separate state and always considers it as its own part.
Taiwan, of course, resists any such claim. For one, to be frank, no sane democracy today would like to become or join a communist state. Secondly, the government of Taiwan fears that communist leaders will execute them once they join the mainland on the charges of treason to the state. Thirdly, in general, no independent state would like to become a part of another state.
So, where do America and Japan come to the picture? America has been playing a vanguard for spread of democracy for a very long time now and is still very active in that. Japan, though, not much pro-active for democracy has another reason to support Taiwan. The presence of an independent country in the east really cuts off the naval region of control of China in the Pacific which in turn gives advantage to Japan. Japan sees China as a major threat to itself. Chinese policies of always increasing its borders and an isolationist attitude towards its neighbors have not helped in assuaging those fears either. Both America and Japan have signed treaties to help Taiwan in case China attacks the small island, just 200 km away from the mainland. However, interesting enough and ironic enough, both America and Japan, under the influence of ever increasing Chinese economy, have recognized Taiwan as a part of China. You can now say, WHAT! It doesn't make any sense! I would then say that Politics is an art, and, just like a modern art, it is not for foolishly sane people, like most of us, to understand.
Now, I come to the real core part of this article. WHY AM I favoring Taiwan and not considering China's point of view at all? I am filled with anger for some militants who using Pakistan army-provided machine guns try to claim Kashmir as their own and kill innocent children, women and men. Ain't I biased against China, when I disregard any claims by Pakistan for independent Kashmir, whereas consider claims by America and Japan for an independent Taiwan as legitimate?
The answer is No. There are many differences. For one, Taiwan is already a separated part. It has an independent government as old as the government of China. The communist governement of China had never had any role in the governing and development of Taiwan. This comes to the second difference. Taiwan is a well developed, self built economy. If a small state like Kashmir becomes independent, it will have to protect itself always from Pakistan (who is obviously supporting Kashmir for no altruistic reasons), and play the discouraging role that other small neighboring countries of India play - they can never be close enough to India and they can never live without India. China's claim for Taiwan is not like India's claim for Kashmir. But it is like India claiming for whole of Pakistan as its own state, if there had been such a claim.
Taiwanese people have proved themselves to be capable of successfully managing themselves and to take anything like that away from them against their wishes would be to go back to the imperialism era.
posted by insideout at
11:23 PM
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