A Brief Account Of The Impact Of The Taiwan Issue On China

THE IMPACT OF ‘ONE CHINA’ POLICY
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Taiwan is an island nation located off the southern coast of China and has a population of 23 million people. Since 1949 its government has been independent of mainland China. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) considers Taiwan as one of its provinces, but the island nation is divided on its view on its relations with the mainland. The current democratically elected president of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, rose to power following massive support from the people opposed to the island’s integration with the mainland. The Taiwan-Chinese relations have continually improved over the years not only affecting the two nations but also their relationships and how there are both viewed by other countries across the globe.
‘One China’ Policy
Beijing and Taipei differ on the status of the island. The PRC affirms that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and that there is only “one China” as stated in the 1992 Consensus. The consensus is an agreement that was signed in 1992 between the then Taiwan’s ruling political ruling party Kuomintang (KMT) and representatives of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It states that there is only “one China” but open for different interpretations. Both Beijing and Taipei agree that Taiwan is part of China but disagree on which entity between CCP and PRC is the legitimate governing body in China. KMT in Taiwan acknowledges the consensus as the basis for future talks with CCP. But on the other hand, the current president Tsai Ing-wen and other leaders of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have avoided referring to the 1992 consensus when speaking about cross-strait relations. Leading voices within the DPP reject the existence of the agreement suggesting the possibility of a cessation in the future. On her part, Tsai has expressed interest in strengthening ties with the mainland through different channels of communication to enhance stability.[Eleanor Albert: China-Taiwan Relations, 05 June 2018, /backgrounder/china-taiwan-relations]
Taiwan-China cross-strait Ties
Increased tensions in the Taiwan-China relations have accompanied the growing popularity of the DPP in Taiwan. The DPP is historically known for advocating for an independent Taiwan, politically separate from the mainland and the residents of the island nation identify with it as national identity. Chei Shu-bian, the first non-KMT to serve as president, pushed for Taiwanese sovereignty but was shortly imprisoned for accepting bribes and embezzlement. Beijing has closely monitored Taiwan politics while forging economic ties that disadvantage the island by making them too costly and pushing the island closer to unification. Over time China has taken a stronger stance on regions such as Hong Kong and Taiwan. The election of Tsai has brought more scrutiny to the ties between Beijing and Taipei the new presidents seeks to reset the relation of the island with the mainland. Examples include Beijing suspending a cross-strait communication mechanism in response to Tsai did not adhere to the 1992 consensus. In addition to restricting tourism from Taiwan, Beijing has excluded it from international ...