One Country: Two Systems – Accomplishable or absurd?
View(s):One China Principle
There has long been a dispute between the Republic of China (ROC) and the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The issue of sovereignty and which government has claim over which areas has created a tense relationship between the cross-strait regions: creating volatile ground for other countries to navigate in terms of international relations.
The main idea that encompasses this problem is the One China Principle. This principle states that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China – and so only ‘One’ China exists. The 1992 Consensus was reached when the governments of both sides agreed that only one sovereign state of China exists (one including mainland China and Taiwan). Parties in both the PRC and the ROC believe in this principle. However, the real dilemma arises over which government has the claim over this ‘One’ China.
The origin of this dispute dates back to before the Chinese Civil War. Before the war the Kuomintang (KMT), a nationalist party, had gained control over most of China (including Taiwan). However, the corrupt government was losing favor with the people and led to the rise and popularity of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC). The civil war that ensued resulted in the victory of the CPC in 1949. The KMT were expelled, and the People’s Republic of China was founded. However, the KMT still held Taiwan and thus, established a nationalist government there: the Republic of China. Ever since then both sides have maintained claims of legitimacy over ‘One’ China.
Similarly, as there is a dispute between the two states there is also a dispute within Taiwan over the One China Principle.
While the PRC accept the One China Principle wholeheartedly, and their claim to legitimacy, the ROC does not. Firstly, the KMT party in Taiwan holds true to its history and accepts the One China Principle, and under the ROC Constitution, state that they have sovereignty over China. However, the Democratic Progressive Party has a different view.
They align with the Taiwan Independence movement and ‘Taiwanisation’. They believe that China should remain the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan should remain the Republic of China – as two separate countries.
Additionally, the Taiwan Independence movement has been pushing for the establishment of the Republic of Taiwan and finally creating a separate and independent identity from China. Furthermore, the current president Tsai Ing-wen has not affirmed the 1992 Consensus – and so it may seem the Taiwanese nation favors a complete split from China rather than a claim to legitimacy over the mainland.
The extent of China and Taiwan’s disagreeable relations are not so simple.
Whilst China has been working persistently towards the goal of “one country, two systems” as a form of peaceful reunification for 50 years, Lee Teng-Hui – the leader of the Taiwan authorities – has progressively betrayed the One China Principle. As an adamant promoter of a separatist policy with “two Chinas” at the core, his actions and words have forced severe damage upon the basis of peaceful reunification of the two sides as well as harmed the fundamental interests of the entire Chinese nation. As tensions between China and Taiwan become increasingly strained, the state of peace and stability in the entire Asia-Pacific region has been teetering towards the potential risk of jeopardy.
Unpleasant relations between the two countries have manifested into Beijing’s increasingly aggressive actions, such as flying fighter jets near the island, as well as the escalation of cross-strait relations since Tsai Ing-wen’s election in 2016.
Tsai has refused to explicitly accept the 1992 consensus, claiming that she has attempted to find another formulation that would be acceptable to Beijing instead.
Consequently, as the national relations over the One China Principle have been quite dynamic, so have the international relations. Importantly, the One China Principle is not to be confused with the One China Policy. This policy is one that was adopted by the United States as well as many governments around the world that do not officially recognise the ROC and encompasses formulations of solutions on the state.
The One China Policy essentially governs the US approach, basing it upon several documents such as three US-China comminqués reached in 1972, 1978 and 1982.The policy is intentionally ambiguous as no affirmative consensus on the cross-strait dispute has been reached by neither country involved nor other countries. This tricky policy is a result of the problematic politics that arises with both the ROC and the PRC’s international relations.
However, the PRC’s economic prosperity has led to its gaining on being the legitimate ruling body over the entirety of China. The ROC does not have a seat at the United Nations and only 14 out of 193 member states recognise Taiwan as a state. Despite this, many countries only acknowledge the One China Principle and China’s claim over Taiwan – but do not recognise it.
Taiwan’s relations with the United States only extends to the provision of defensive weapons but the question of whether the US would actually defend Taiwan remains to be answered. Ultimately, Taiwan is further cornered into diplomatic isolation from the international community as any country that wants diplomatic relations with mainland China must break official ties with Taipei.
Session XIV of SLMUN will be held on the 6th and 7th of November 2021 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), Colombo, Sri Lanka. Registrations for delegates, admins and IPC delegates are now open until the 30th of October 2021.
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- Umaama Hussain & Kavya Chandrasiri(News and Media Team 2021)