You've heard it in the news; you've seen in on the papers; and now the 2008 campaign has focused on this issue as well: The China Taiwan debate. Taiwan (formally known as the Republic of China) is an island about 100 miles off the south coast of mainland China, with a population of about 20 million and a budding economy much like China's. Here are key points of the debate that can help you understand what this is all about.
History:
During the communist revolution in the late 1940's, Mao ZeDong led the communist party against the Nationalists, led by Chiang Kai-shek. The Nationalists leaned toward a more democratic government, so when they lost the fight and fled to the island of Formosa (Taiwan), then still owned by China, the United States supported them. Because the Nationalists had indeed lost, technically speaking China believes that they have ownership over the island. The Nationalists, on the other hand, believed that they are independent, because they started their own government. The U.S. Government Position:
President G. W. Bush currently believes Taiwan is independent. Perhaps it is because Taiwan is a democracy and The PRC is communist, but nowadays, it is more on a socialist state. The economy is free, like America's, but the Communist party tightly controls the government. This doesn't affect the way of living for the Chinese; common misconception is that the government tells the people what to do on a daily basis. The United Nations, on the other hand, believes The People Republic of China to be in control of the province Taiwan. Many other countries are also starting to believe that position, often because they do not want to risk losing trade with China, the world's fastest growing economy. The Press:
The press is often targeting China, because the booming economy of China may become a threat to the U.S. economy, although it is very unlikely it will directly affect it. With the recent lead discoveries in child toys magnified, the press hopes it will slow down China's economy. What they don't say is that it is not only China who is sometimes overlooking these safety measures, but also many other countries in that region. A few weeks ago, one of China's trains was going fairly high above the speed limit, and derailed, killing about 70 people. The U.S. press immediately magnified this, claiming China is not a safe place to be. What is it they are trying to accomplish? The Olympics:
With the 2008 Olympics approaching, rumors buzz about whether or not Taiwan will declare independence at this time. Some feel this is a great opportunity for the island to do so, because China is under great pressure to keep its image healthy. Taiwan athletes, according to the International Olympic Committee, are not allowed to represent Taiwan as a country, but under the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee, representing Taiwan as a region. The athletes are not allowed to carry their own flag, or have their national anthem sung if victory is achieved. China understands the possible threat of Taiwan breaking away, and they have clearly warned them that a refrain from attack by the mainland if independence is declared is unlikely. The U.S. has clearly stated it will not offer military support for Taiwan if they declare independence before or during the Olympics. Tibet:
The new rising issue with China and the Olympics is Tibet. Many people believe Tibet should be free of control from China. What they don't understand is that the Tibetan people are in grave poverty. China provides a great deal of its food source and other resources, and has even recently finished building a railroad that allows tourists to travel to and from Tibet. The Chinese people and many other foreign people believe that if Tibet were independent, massive deaths would occur, and the Tibetan people would almost become extinct, due to the fact that they would not have the military resources to fight back, nor the economic resources to keep the region running.
