The relationship between China and Taiwan - Essay Example

THE RELATION BETWEEN CHINA AND TAIWAN The relationship amid Taiwan and China is not a smooth one. Since 1949, there has been one formal contact between the two governments; and that was in 2014. It has been rocked by disputes that have disturbed any progress towards their unification. The dispute between the two nations can be traced to 1949 when the nationalist Kuomitang moved from the mainland China to Taiwan after losing a civil war to the Communist Chinese; from there, they claimed they were the legitimate rulers while dismissing the Communist Chinese as illegitimate.

Beijing, meanwhile, regarded Taiwan as a rebel province.The relationship has been frosty ever since. First, they disagree on the independence of Taiwan. Taiwan claims to be an independent state while China claims Taiwan is part of it. China has refused to grant Taiwan its independence and recognize its leaders. The people of mainland China insist that there is only a single China and that Taiwan is an indisputable part of it. They refer to the Hong Kong agreement of 1992 where both leaders had a consensus that recognized only one China.

Taiwan, however, reject the existence of such an agreement. In 2011, the People’s Republic of China was admitted into the UN general assembly while Taiwan (Republic of China) was expelled. All that was because China refused to acknowledge its statehood.The tension between the two nations has created an ‘arms race’. China has deployed missiles along the Taiwan Strait. Both its amphibious and missile forces capabilities are modernized in preparation of any situation. Every time the Taiwanese inch closer towards independence, they get the backing of the US Neo conservatives.

They see china as a potential military rival. Taiwan purchases its weapons from abroad, with the USA being the largest supplier. China has been objecting the sale of weapons by the USA to Taiwan (Council on Foreign Relations). However, despite their differences, the two nations have strong economic ties. Bilateral trade was $102 billion in 2007, up from just $8 billion in 1991 (Council on Foreign Relations). China has and still remains Taiwan’s biggest trading partner and approximately a third of all Taiwan’s export products were sold in China.

Taiwanese investments in the mainland china are estimated to be $150 billion since 1998. Their excellent economic elation is boosted by an agreement between the two nations to allow insurers and banks to invest in both markets (Council on Foreign Relations).Taiwan’s president, Ma Ying-jeou, has tried to ease tensions with the mainland through business pacts. Such pacts allowed the liberation of cross strait trade and services.. However, such initiatives are not taken positively by all citizens.

Majority sees them as a way that China might exploit with its economic muscles and influence its democracy.ConclusionThe relationship involving Taiwan and china has been rocky over the years. Up to now, the civil is not yet officially over. Nonetheless, there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Recent developments concerning political ties have shed some tolerance from each party. Soon, it is hoped that the political dispute regarding Taiwan’s independence is resolved and that Taiwan is recognized as a nation and even become a member of the UN.

ReferencesCouncil on Foreign Relations,. China-Taiwan Relations. N.p., 2014. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.