Taiwan
and China have a very complex history, and their relationship today is nothing
if not complicated. Taiwan is officially called The Republic of China (ROC).
Originally conquered by the Chinese in 1683, Taiwan was eventually ceded to
Japan in 1895. Following the end of WWII in 1945, Taiwan was surrendered by
Japan to China. But after China’s civil war ended in 1949, the Communist party
gained full control of China and formed the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
The ROC
government relocated to Taiwan, where the entirety of its jurisdiction remains
today. To the ROC, Taiwan is officially the government in exile of Mainland
China. To Mainland China, the PRC, the ROC has no official sovereignty or
independence from its rule.
Pres. Ma Ying-jeou was first elected in 2008. Image: Jameson Wu / Flickr CC |
Last
month, Ma likened flights between Taiwan and Mainland China to domestic flights
in the U.S., putting many in an uproar over the seemingly “pro-Mainland”
attitude. Indeed, Ma has made several changes to bring Taiwan and Mainland
China closer than in recent years; direct flights are now available between the
two, whereas before fliers had to go through “neutral” territory like Hong
Kong; tourists can now visit from the mainland; and even a possible free trade
agreement between the two.
Taiwan’s
previous leadership couldn’t have been more opposite of Ma; former President
Chen Shui-bian even toyed with idea of officially declaring independence from
the mainland, something that the PRC has previously threatened with military
action. President Ma, however, is loyal to the idea of “one China,” or the hope
that one day, China and Taiwan can be reunited.
Sean King, Park Strategies’
Senior Vice President and expert on Asian politics said, “That doesn’t mean KMT
leaders approve of Beijing’s undemocratic ways, but I do believe many of them,
including Ma, see Taiwan as part of a larger Chinese story.”
Whether
the day of reunion will come or not remains to be seen; however, one thing is
clear—President Ma’s policies are far more progressive in that direction than
ever before. Perhaps, though, it’s moving a bit too fast for some Taiwanese.
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