President George W. Bush decided to sell ships, submarines, and aircraft to Taiwan. Trade agreements are fairly common, but this one made headlines, especially since Bush packaged it with a pledge to do "whatever it takes" to defend Taiwan against Chinese attacks. The U.S. plays an important role in a difficult and complicated relationship between China and Taiwan.
China and Taiwan
The Chinese have claimed authority over Taiwan since the 1600s, with the exception of a 50-year period in which Japan ruled the island. But in 1949, Communist revolutionaries led by Mao Tse-tung took over Mainland China. Chiang Kai-shek, an anti-Communist who led the Nationalist Party, fled to Taiwan and established his own government there.
In contrast with Communist China, Taiwan developed a democratic society. It has sustained itself by becoming a major trading partner with the U.S. and other nations.
China considers Taiwan a renegade province and wants its leaders to sign a reunification agreement. But Taiwan has shown signs of wanting total independence. In its 2000 presidential elections, the island elected Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which is known for advocating independence. China has threatened to attack Taiwan if it declares independence.
The island of Taiwan has a population of 22,319,000 compared to Mainland China's 1.3 billion population.
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Where Does the U.S. Come In?
The U.S. wants to help Taiwan maintain its democracy and is alarmed over China's terrible human rights record, but it is also interested in improving its relations with China. Here's why:
- China is home to over one billion people. All those potential consumers make China an excellent trading partner.
- The U.S. feels that China could be a dangerous enemy. If the U.S. helps Taiwan, China could retaliate by attacking Taiwan or by selling weapons technologies to so-called "rogue states," like Iran and Pakistan.
A Difficult History
1945: Japan is on the losing side of World War II, and is forced to return Taiwan to China after 50 years of Japanese rule.
1949: Communist Mao Tse-tung takes over China. Nationalist Chiang Kai-shek retreats to Taiwan and sets up his own government. Trying to stop the spread of Communism, the U.S. signs a treaty that requires it to protect Taiwan from China.
1971: The U.S. changes its tune and tries to improve relations with China in order to prevent China from allying with America's archenemy, the Soviet Union.
1979: The U.S. formally recognizes the People's Republic of China (mainland China), but continues to sell weapons to Taiwan.
1982: The U.S. declares that it will limit weapons sales to Taiwan and eventually phase them out.
2000: Taiwan elects Chen Shui-bian, its first candidate from a pro-independence party. China threatens to retaliate if Taiwan declares independence.
2001: The U.S. sells a large package of arms to Taiwan, but says that it does not favor Taiwanese independence. China says the action could threaten U.S.-China relations.
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Dictionary:
advocate (verb) argue for
rogue (noun) someone who doesn't follow rules
renegade (adjective) disloyal
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