The US-China Taiwan Crisis - Essay Example

?Introduction Diplomatic maneuvers and negotiations often change the of decisions within international and domestic affairs. Looking at various scenarios also provides insight into how this can alter the outcome of a given situation. When looking at the US – China Taiwan Crisis, there is a direct change that occurs with the negotiations and the outcome which occurred among the various countries. The different approaches taken through the various political structures altered the state into one which moved from being closed to having a more diplomatic viewpoint and a higher tension of global relations between countries. The interference from the US directly led to the crisis and the continuous rise in tensions from both sides. History of the US – China Taiwan Crisis The crisis that emerged in China and Taiwan began as early as 1949 with the Kuomintang Party. This Party is the nationalist party of China and was defeated to Communist rule during this time. The tensions which arose caused the party to move across the Taiwan Straight from Beijing, causing the Communist Rule to stay in China and Taiwan to try to separate under the rule of the Kuomintang (Christensen, 1: 1999). The main approach that Kuomintang took was to try to separate from mainland China and to continue with the nationalist rule and regulations which were believed to be a part of the party, often referred to as the Taipei Regime. By 1979, there was a call from Beijing for the Kuomintang Party to stop trying to divide Taiwan and instead to reunify into one China. The approach was to both liberate Taiwan and to work toward national development within each region, despite the differences in party agreements. The proposal was based on opening santong, which included commercial, postal and travel exchanges. The exchanges included siliu, which was four areas of concern, including academic, cultural, economic and athletic interests. It was believed that this approach would stop the differences on both sides and would lead to equal and fair agreements among both (Zhao, 22: 1999). Relationships with China After the Korean War in 1950, the US became involved with the political imbalances and began to pressure China to accept this party as the true government. To further establish this, the Chinese government was able to retain the seats they held at the UN with five members still sitting at the Security Council. The approach was furthered in 1972 with Nixon visiting China and trying to create a peaceful agreement between China and Taiwan. This was the first involvement with the United States to the Taiwan and Chinese debate, even though there was acknowledgement of the divisions from 1950 with Taiwan as a rogue state (Ross 48: 2002). The relationship approached developed the Taiwan Relations Act, which persuaded both sides to create mutual security treaties, as opposed to separating as a nation. The main approach was to persuade both sides to work in cooperation and to open foreign relations ties for more opportunities. The persuasion was followed with a sense of security that could be used for those in East Asia (Goldstein, Schriver, 147: 2001). The Relations Act became effective in 1979, the year in which China worked toward economic agreements with Taiwan to stop the tensions between both countries. This stated that the United States would be involved with supplying the needed defense items to Taiwan in the case of an outbreak, specifically because the division of 1949 left the different area with a threat to the security of the area. This was combined with the act stating that there was only one China, as opposed to being a Taiwan and China. Even though there was acknowledgement that both could remain separate, the legitimate source of government pointed to only one China existing. By 1982, this was followed by six assurances, which consisted of guidelines which could be used for bilateral relations (Dumbaugh, 11: 1998). While there was acknowledgement at this point that both wanted to remain separate countries, the foreign relations pressured both sides to work together and to come to a peaceful agreement. The approach which was taken during Nixon’s time frame and through the 1980s was based on finding peaceful agreements to unite Taiwan and China. The countries had no desire to become a united force; however, the interference from the US established specific agreements to stop conflict and to provide alternatives for both sides. Even though there was resistance to the assurances and overall agreement, this became the basis for agreements between the two nations (Shalapak, Orletsky, 17: 2000). The approach of normalization as well as the belief in foreign interests, which required both Taiwan and China to unify, was the main approach. This forced the political regimes to surrender the tensions and to begin to open the doors to working internationally. The intervention of the obstacles by creating economic, foreign and cultural gain became the main area of negotiation; however, it also forced the political differences to unite and to overcome the main differences (Tucker, 109: 2005). Foreign Relations before the Crisis While the work of Nixon, as well as Kissinger, was able to smooth the process of relations through the 1980s, there were sudden outbursts that forecasted tensions which were between the nations. The first incident of conflict was seen with Tiananmen Square, in which youth protested the use of military force and the Communist regime in Beijing. The initial outbreak was based on the change of leadership in Beijing from the reformer Hu Yaobang to Zhao Ziyang. The changes which occurred in the party led those in the nation to acknowledge a lack of reform and distrust in the government (O’Hanlon, 51: 2006). The tensions that arose in Beijing were further reflected from the regime in Taiwan that had split from the Communist Party because of the miscommunications and misjudgments created. The tensions in Taiwan arose because of this protest and the outcome, stating that the regime in Beijing was also a source of tension for the Vietnam nationalist party. This outbreak led to further tensions between the two nations and began to compromise the foreign relations which had been created before (Nathan, 1: 2001). This specific event led to more foreign interference and interactions which changed the course of political actions in China and Taiwan. This began with President Clinton reinforcing not only foreign relations as through Nixon, but also interfered with the threats to human rights and the political agendas associated with this. The link was first based on the economic development that was now at threat in China. President Clinton’s interference was economically based first; however, this moved into creating human rights standards to ensure peace and security. The interference; however, was altered back to the economic foreign policies that was created with a link to the World Trade Organization. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was signed at this point, which gave the US access to the industries of insurance, telecommunications, agriculture, banking and retail. This expansion allowed the tensions to stop while assisting in more foreign relations between the political regimes (McGregor, 3: 2005). Crisis of 1996 The US – China and Taiwan Crisis of 1996 was one which had built the main tensions from the past events, beginning in 1950. President Lee Teng – Hu began this by the movement toward re-establishing the Kuomintang Party. This was done through an initial military display. The turning point was noted in 1994-1995 when President Clinton rejected the tariff treatment of the PRC that had been established and the link to human rights (Scobell, 5: 2000). This sudden changed made Taiwan build an understanding that the bilateral relations between the US and China were established, while Taiwan was unable to ground the relationships needed. The constructive, strategic partnership between the US and China became the basis while agreements were dismissed with Taiwan. Separating from the changes in foreign policy is what altered the course with Taiwan while changing agreements between those who were in the arena (Lampton, 22: 2001). The agreements taking place with China that didn’t provide for unification with Taiwan led to the rise of the military display. The People’s Liberation Army was formed, specifically which was designed to counterbalance the partnership which was taken. The overall objective from Taiwan was to take military force because of the economic and cultural affiliations between the US and China, which had caused Taiwan to lose the powers to the Western economic affiliations (Lily, Downs, 5: 1997). In this instance, the crisis became motivated by the foreign relations and the way in which each country associated with the others. The problem which arose became based on strategically changing the powers between Taiwan and China while altering the politics to secure foreign relations in an alternative manner while gaining control of a new regime within China (Yong, 343: 2001). US Relations and Motivation of Countries The concepts which were associated with the crisis of 1996 were led by foreign relations from the 1950s and into the present day. The relationship which was formed between the US and the Peoples Republic of China discriminated against the government which had formed in Taiwan. The result was a growth of tensions and into conflicts and threats to security (Noble, 5: 2000). At other times, the initiations which were taken led to cooperation, stability and peace, such as the actions taken during the 1970s to cooperate between the nations for economic prosperity. The international relations became the main driving force that continued to revitalize the political tensions between China and Taiwan and which led to the separatism that structured the opposition of government, economics and social structure (Friedberg, 7: 2005). The problem of 1996 was only the beginning of several tensions to try to bring peace and stability between China and Taiwan while altering the relationships between foreign entities. Policies and continuous alterations that are needed to implement changes are continuing to occur. At the same time, Taiwan continues to build military forces while China and the US develop closer relations. Today, the US relations are unable to shape the policies as in the beginning of the crisis. Instead, the interventions are limited to trying to maintain peace between the nations while creating friction from the Taiwan Relations Act. The main problem arising is one which is no longer recognizing Taiwan and China as a unified entity and is instead creating even more divisions between nations. The latest change has been the giving of $6.4 billion in weapons to Taiwan by President Obama (Glaser, 1: 2011). The crisis that has continued is the third from 1996 that has escalated close to military actions. The main difficulty is one which is rooted in Chinese history; however, it is from the interference of the US that the problems continue to escalate. The inability to meet the needs through foreign relations has forced specific actions as a result. According to the Asian political analyst, Mahbubani, it is the Western policies that were enforced in the 1960s-1970s that have created authoritarian regimes and the conflicts which continue to occur (Bernstein, 2: 1997). The inability for Taiwan to be a part of the relations as expected from this time is what has caused tensions, specifically because of the decline of economic development and the inability for economic and social change to move into the country from the agreements. This becomes more complex with human rights relations and reforms that are affected by the exclusivity displayed from the contracts and negotiations between the US and China (Pedrosa, 1: 2011). The controversy that arose from the 1996 foreign relations continues to remain problematic with the current political and economic affairs that are between the US and China. The South China Sea is continuing to rise in opposition to the relationship between the US and China. A naval building program that was put into place by Clinton for China is now attacking the South China Sea and is leading to the same oppositions because of the countries that are ignoring the initial treaties between nations. This was done at the same time that military weapons were given to Taiwan because of the tensions which continue to arise. The actions taken by the US are looking past the agreements on both sides then leverages the tensions that are between China and Taiwan. Furthermore, the movements now taken by the US are going to create political tensions either from China or Taiwan with the foreign relations while continuing to cause a lack of peace between the nations because of the challenges that continue to arise (Hallinan, 1: 2011). Conclusion The diplomatic relationships that have arisen between the US and China, as well as Taiwan show how the domestic interactions intertwine with the foreign intervention. The negotiations at the beginning of the 1970s were built to create an agreement between all three nations with the specific purpose of economic trade. However, this later led into rivalry between Vietnam and China, specifically because of the economic tensions that were added into this as well as the lack of intervention that the US should have taken for human rights and other incidents. The continuous interventions changed the outcome with political tensions and continue to be a main rise of problems between the China and Vietnam. The tension is based on the lack of economic equality in foreign affairs, as well as the social and cultural divisions that are caused with the partnership between the US and China. References Bernstein, R. (1997). “The Coming Conflict with America.” Foreign Affairs 7 (2). Christensen, TJ. (1999). “China, the US – Japan Alliance and the Security Dilemma in East Asia.” International Security 5 (2). Dumbaugh, Kerry. 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Across the Taiwan Strait: Mainland China, Taiwan, and the 1995-1996 Crisis. New York: Routledge. s Read More