Since the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China respectively declared their independence in 1949, the world has changed dramatically. During this period, the world has seen the end of the Cold War, the rise and fall of Third Worldism, the demise of colonialism, the Soviet Union and a host of other significant events that has greatly affected relations between the United States, the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China.
The world that we now confront has challenges that were both unforeseen and unthinkable in 1949: the rise of religious fundamentalism as a political force, the threat of terror by non-traditional political actors and the emergence of an unchallenged and singular political and military empire (the United States), to name a few.
The question of the current United State’s ‘One China Policy’ and Taiwan’s rightful place in the international community remains a constant question that will shape the future of relations between the United States, Taiwan and Mainland China. The question of Taiwan and its existence in the world community, in the last thirty years has been made clearer in the minds of many western China scholars, politicians and academics by Mainland China’s opening up of its economy and, to a limited degree, its society to the western world.
The Taiwanese people’s right of self-determination has been brushed aside due to the large shadow of Beijing’s economic and political might. American and western political leaders have failed to realize that the nation of Taiwan represents a perfect model of how conflict between nations who are at opposite ideological poles in a democratic and free world will be solved in this new century. Taiwan symbolizes a defiant but democratic nation making a courageous last stand against a mighty totalitarian nation that the western world fears not because of its military strength, but because of its economic muscle.Taiwan’s plight is not unlike those of the Black African majority under the oppressive apartheid policies of the former minority white government in South Africa.
In this case, Taiwan is now a part of the majority international democratic group of nations, but it is denied equal rights within the international community by the Mainland Chinese government who’s closed and repressive methods in maintaining control of its own population has been continuously rejected by the international community. Like the past regime nation of the minority white government in South Africa toward its black majority, Mainland China is allowed to continue the repress the desires of Taiwanese self-determination because of China’s economic payoffs for international corporations and investors. Eventually like South Africa, the international community has to make a decision on the Taiwan question based on morality or money.
For those western Sinologists who are under the illusion that increased economy contact and relations with Mainland China will initiate internal mechanisms toward democracy, the recent history of the Special Administrative Region (SAR) of Hong Kong should shatter those illusions.In turn Taiwan, too, has some hard political and economic choices to make. First, Taiwan must come to the realization that the political leadership in the United States, no matter how good its intentions are, will not be willing to risk war with Mainland China over 23 million Taiwanese. Thus, Taiwan must continue to take the necessary steps to show that it is willing to defend itself by procuring armaments to defend itself against a future attacks by Mainland China.
Secondly, Taiwan must diversify its economy by establishing more extensive trade with its Asian and Southeast Asian neighbors. Currently Taiwan’s economy is too dependent on trade with Mainland China and at its current rate; Mainland China could effectively stifle future Taiwanese independence discussions by waging an economic war with this island nation. Finally, Taiwan must liberalize its immigration policies so those individuals who possess valuable and specialized skills and knowledge can immigrate to Taiwan.
The liberalization of Taiwan’s immigration policy will not only help to expand Taiwan’s economy, but will also have the long-term political effect of having citizens of other nations having a vested interest in seeing a continuing vibrate democracy in their new adopted country.
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