As the Russian attacks on Ukraine are showing no sign of coming to an end, despite going on for more than 100 days. While Ukraine has shown an unbelievably brave fight, the ego and evil motive of PUTIN is deliberately stretching the war. Now, Putin’s brother in arms Xi Jin Ping has started showing his expansionist motive toward Taiwan. The experts are fearing that we might witness another Russia-Ukraine kind of attack in the Indo-Pacific. The region is already of prime importance and prone to controversies. The recent comment of Biden about MILITARILY intervening in the matter, if China attacks Taiwan has brought the interest of the whole world in the matter.
Taiwan is also known as the Republic of China. It is a free democratic country but has NOT got the status of Freely Recognized Nation from the UN. Though Taiwan calls it an independent nation, China doesn’t call it one. It calls it a part of its territory under the name of One China Policy. It is a small place with just 14000 sq. km and consists only of 2.3 million people of which only 1.5% of its population falls below poverty. And, it is just 100 metres away from the Chinese coast. Looking at the China challenge, Taiwan has developed a robust military system consisting of 2 million personnel and spending of $10 million dollars.
Also Read: My Article on the whole conflict around the South China Sea
A Brief History of China
If we look at a little history of China, The QING dynasty was perhaps the biggest regime in China (1644-1911AD). But, once the central leadership of the regime started getting weak, it led to the Disintegration of the country. Then in 1894-95, the First Sino-Japan War took place. At that time, Japan was very strong militarily and China was in a state of power struggle and disintegration. As a result, Japan won and the Treaty of Shimonoseki was formed. After that, Japan occupied eastern parts of China, the Korean Plateau and…Taiwan. After this further disintegration happened and China was divided into several provinces like Qin, Zhao, Wei, Han, Chu, etc. Then, around the early 20th century, Sun Yet Sen arrives on the scene. He forms the Kuomintang Party (KMT) (which meant the Republic of China) and gave the vision of unified China.
After him, two ideas emerged about unifying China. While the Nationalist Party (KMT), under the leadership of Chiang-kan Shek also known as Jiang Jieshi advocated for Democracy believing that people should be given rights. On the other hand, Mao Zedong’s Chinese Communist Party (CCP) put forward the case of inequalities in the democratic West and advocated for a state-controlled Communist society (though not like Russia as the composition of the two countries was different). Now, while the Communists under the leadership of Mao Zedong, were strong in the North and North-West China and their support base consisted of poor peasants. They even fought the Japanese in the North. The Nationalists, on the other hand, were strong in South-Western China and their major support came from the US in Dollars. They didn’t fight the Japanese much and saved their energies for the Communists. But, Communists having the support of exploited peasants were able to better channel their force aspiring for development and breaking the shackles of exploitation.
The Shanghai Massacre
Looking at the rising Communist momentum, the Nationalists carried out an all-out massacre against the Communists. They started purging Communists by rounding them up, identifying the red CCP makes on the people and torturing them. Around 5000 CCP members were brutally killed on roads. After this, Mao and his supporters fled to the Jianxi mountains to remain united. They kept on working on their comeback. Japan saw a great opportunity here and carried out another attack, this time annexing Manchuria also known as Manchukuo.
Aftermath of the World War II
In 1943, Chiang Kai-Shek met US President Roosevelt and UK PM Churchill (democratic ideologies). Here, the second world war ended with two brutal bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After this, Japan surrendered and as we know became very peaceful. It stopped its expansionist ideology and started focussing only on human capital and development. Also, it lost control of the parts of China that it annexed. So, finally, the 50-year rule of Japan ended over many parts of China that it had annexed, including Taiwan.
Just after this, Mao too met Stalin, who was again of the same ideology as him. After this, communists started getting stronger and now they started attacks and killings the Nationalists. Soon, the Nationalists got restricted only to a small portion at the Chinese borders. After this, they had just one option and that was to get away to the nearest island of the territory, which was TAIWAN. Around 20 lakh Nationalists fled to Formosa Island.
Who is the ‘Real’ China?
Now, in 1949 mainstream China announces itself as a COMMUNIST by the name People’s Republic of China (PROC). But, here comes the twist, as even the Nationalists called themselves the ‘Original’ China by the name of the Republic of China (ROC). Not just this, the ROC aimed at establishing a Democracy and even capturing the whole of mainland China under the Nationalist rule (now that was a tall claim). PROC on the other hand claimed itself as the ‘Real China’ and aimed to ‘recapture’ Taiwan (which straightaway meant that Taiwan was always a part of PROC).
The US and the West recognised ROC only as of the ‘Real’ China. While USSR was the only major country to support China because of the same Communist ideology. Here, the UN too gave statehood recognition and a UN seat to Taiwan. Now, if we just use some logic, it was an absurd move to believe that a small island called ROC is the representative of the whole of mainland China. The same point was also raised by Indian PM Jawaharlal Nehru. Also, India under Nehru was close to USSR and believed in the Non-Aligned Movement. At that time, PROC was also showing much interest in having good relations with India, so Nehru pressed his support for PROC. Though, he didn’t know that despite standing on PROC’s side in crisis time, PROC will backstab India, a decade later.
Now, by 1971, it became very clear to the West that China is a rising power and a future superpower. Also, Mao’s probable successor Deng Xiaoping was a little soft than Mao, especially on economic lines. So West started mending its ties with China in the hope of future partnerships. In 1971, the UN took away the UN seat as well as the recognition from Taiwan and gave it to PROC.
Also Read: My in-depth Article on the whole Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Democracy in Taiwan
In Taiwan, after the death of Cheng, his son took over and established a one-party rule with the whole media under state control (GODI MEDIA). The reason was that, by this time, some stiff voices started coming up with the demand for a merger with mainland PROC. Around 27% supported the merger, 23% still had the unrealistic dream of capturing mainland China back and around 51% believed in the status quo. Here despite all the curbs on media, the activists came up with the Formosa magazine to spread their word. As a result, many activists were arrested. At this time, the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) also came into being. In 1988, Democratic Lee Teng-Hui also known as Mr Democracy became the President and was the first Taiwanese born leader to come to the post. With the first ‘real’ free and fair election in 1991, Taiwan became a Democracy in real terms.
China-Taiwan Conflict
It was only in 2005, that any Nationalist KMP leader (Lien Chang) visited China. In 2007, Taiwan tested missiles capable of hitting Hong Kong and Shanghai. Also, in the same year, Taiwan went to the UN for recognition under the title ‘Taiwan’ and not ROC as earlier. But, it was rejected by the UN, due to the obvious reason of China being a permanent member of the UNSC. In 2010, China and Taiwan signed a historic free-trade pact. But, the relations didn’t remain good for long. Under Xi Jin Ping, China has always put forward the idea of ‘Rejuvenation
Also, China kept on showing its military might by conducting missile tests near Taiwan Strait. China even threatened Taiwanese citizens not to vote for Lee Teng-Hui, who was a Pro-Taiwan and an advocate of Taiwanese independence. In 2005, China brought an Anti-Secession Law which pressed for China to call out war in case Taiwan openly declares independence. The current youth of Taiwan are completely alienated from China and such moves by China on regular basis have led to completely Anti-China sentiments in Taiwan. Taiwanese citizens even protested against the free trade agreement with China.
Pic: Hong Kong demanding freedom from China
Similar Example of HONG KONG
China has offered the One Party Two Systems option to China. There is a similar case in HONG KONG. It is a part of one country two systems, where it is semi-controlled by elected leaders of Hong Kong and semi-controlled by China. But slowly, the latter ‘semi’ has increased highly as compared to the former ‘semi’. China has regularly crushed any pro-democratic and liberal protests or demands. It has even slowly curbed Hong Kong’s free powers, electoral powers and Democracy. The only result of all these activities has been that Taiwan has become very firm that it will NEVER accept the ‘One Country Two Systems’ option with China.
After Tsai Ing-wen of the Progressive Independent Party won the elections. She has been an avid supporter of Taiwan’s independence and on expected lines, after her arrival, the relations between Taiwan and China have deteriorated. In recent times, China has even started flying a number of fighting jets s in Taiwan’s airspace, to build pressure on it. Taiwan has bluntly responded to this saying any attack on Taiwan’s sovereignty will not be good. Not just this, experts fear that China can even carry out an all-out attack on Taiwan.
Pic: Taiwan is a Manufacturing Hub of Semiconductors
Significance of TAIWAN
So, you must be wondering what makes this small country so significant. The answer is its huge economy of $600 billion holds great significance. It’s a huge hub of electronic technology and digital machinery. It is one of the largest exporters in the world in this sector riding on some big companies like Quanta and Foxconn. Also, it is the BIGGEST producer of Semiconductors in the world. Semiconductors are a very important material in the technological world, whose absence can bring the world to a standstill. If you all remember, there was a worldwide shortage of semiconductors last year. It makes it an unavoidable power in the world. So, if China invades Taiwan, just imagine the power and advantage that it will acquire over the world.
US has always displayed its military might near Taiwan, making China realize that the US won’t allow China to take Taiwan so easily. China once even released a propaganda video where China was conducting attacks on US military bases in Taiwan. But, let me present you with a very interesting fact, despite all the tall claims and the brave stand, the US itself doesn’t even have an embassy there, which means it doesn’t recognise it as a country. So, two completely different stands at the same time? Interesting…very interesting. So, now Taiwan has become the last nail in the coffin in the super-power struggle between the US and China.
We Don’t Need Another War
While we are witnessing what it takes when two countries are into a war, it is very sensible to think that we don’t need another war. Xi Jinping is another pathetic person like Putin, so we can’t expect much sensibility from him. Also, as the US has always shown, it is only good at talking and is the last country one should ever trust. If the war happens, it will lead to not just so many losses of innocent lives, but also the enormous economic loss we are facing today. Also, it is rightly said that “Only those call for War…Who are not going to fight in it”. And, there is a particular brand of people who are again wishing for China’s attack on Taiwan, as they are of the thought that once it happens India will get the ROOM for attacking Pakistan and getting POK back. I don’t know what kind of logic makes people celebrate war. Anyways, What we can do is just hope that nothing of this sort happens and the world gets peace.
NICE, VERY INFORMATIVE