Taiwan’s relationship with China is not just a bilateral issue; it also has geo-strategic and security implications for the Asia-Pacific, now rechristened Indo-Pacific
Outlook India
Date: 16 June 2020
By: Rup Narayan Das
In this file photo, supporters of Taiwan’s 2020 presidential election candidate, Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), cheer during a campaign rally in Taipei, Taiwan.
AP File Photo
The Covid-19 issue and Taiwan’s bid for observer status at the World Health Assembly, which concluded its virtual session on May 18-19 with the active support of the US and some other countries, has catapulted Taiwan to international media attention. China, however, succeeded in jettisoning Taiwan’s bid for a seat at the high table. While China’s position with regard to Taiwan is that “reunification is inevitable and China would never tolerate Taiwan’s independence,” Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) maintains that it cannot accept becoming part of China under “one country, two systems”.
But the question is that if China supported Taiwan for observer status in the World Health Assembly from 2008 till 2016, then why did it oppose neighbouring country’s bid for the observer status this year? The answer is simple and straight: because from 2008-2016, the Kuomintang (KMT) party, which is inclined and amenable towards mainland China, was in power in Taiwan. Former Taiwan resident Ma Ying Jeou’s position with regard to China was “no unification, no independence, and no use of force”. His policy was that Taiwan should continue with reconciliation towards the mainland to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait which in turn would help securing a breathing space for the country in the international arena. It is indeed a tactical position with a strategic objective.
During 50 years of KMT rule, the relationship between mainland China and Taiwan had considerably improved. However, in 1979, the Kaohsiung incident, often regarded as beginning of Taiwan’s democratic revolution, eventually led to the formation and development of the Democratic Progressive Party. In order to develop some contact points, there had been efforts on both sides of the spectrum for an institutional mechanism during the KMT regime. With this objective in mind the Taiwan Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) was set up in 1990. Similarly, the Association for Relations across the Taiwan Strait (ARTS) was set up in China in 1991. The two organisations enjoyed semi-official status in their respective governments.
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