The Taiwan Issue and Its Implication for China-Latin American Relations

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The Taiwan Issue and Its Implication for
China-Latin American Relations

• Professor Jiang Shixue
• Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
• Vice President
• Chinese Association of Latin American Studies
• jiangsx_at_cass.org.cn

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• Why is Taiwan an inalienable part of China?
• What is the origin of the Taiwan issue?
• What is the Chinese government's policy on
  Taiwan?
• What is Taiwans position?
• Why cannot Taiwan declare itself a state under
  the name of the "Republic of China?

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• How to understand One-China Principle in the
  international community?
• What is the situation of the Cross-Strait
  relations now?
• What is the implication of the Taiwan issue on
  China-Latin America relations?

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Peoples Republic of China

• 34 administrative divisions at provincial level
• 23 provinces (including Taiwan Province),
• 4 municipalities directly under the Central
  Government,
• 5 autonomous regions and
• 2 special administrative regions.

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Basics about Taiwan

• Population 23 million
• GDP430.6 billion (2010 est.)
• Per capita GDP 18700
• Capital Taiwan
• Two major political parties
• Kuomintang (KMT) or Nationalist Party
• Democratic Progressive Party

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1. Why is Taiwan an inalienable part of China?

• Taiwan was known as Yizhou or Liuqiu in ancient
  times.
• More than 1,700 years ago Shen Ying (??)
  described the development of Taiwan by the
  Chinese people in Seaboard Geographic Gazetteer
  (?????).
• This was the world's earliest written account of
  Taiwan.

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• Since early 17th century the Chinese people began
  to step up the development of Taiwan.
• By 1893 (19th year of the reign of Qing Emperor
  Guangxu) their population exceeded 2.54 million
  people in 507,000 or more households.

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European invasions

• In 1624 Dutch colonialists invaded and occupied
  the southern part of Taiwan.
• Two years later Spanish colonialists seized the
  northern part of Taiwan.
• In 1642 the Dutch evicted the Spaniards and took
  over northern Taiwan.

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• In 1661 General Zheng Chenggong led an expedition
  to Taiwan and expelled the Dutch colonialists
  from the island in the following year.

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Japanese invasion

• In April 1895, through a war of aggression
  against China, Japan forced the Qing government
  of China to sign the unequal Treaty of
  Shimonoseki, and forcibly occupied Taiwan.

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Signing the Treaty of Shimonoseki
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• In July 1937, Japan launched an all-out war of
  aggression against China.
• In 1941, the Chinese government issued the
  Proclamation of China's Declaration of War
  Against Japan, announcing to the world that all
  treaties, agreements and contracts concerning
  Sino-Japanese relations, including the Treaty of
  Shimonoseki, had been abrogated, and that China
  would recover Taiwan.

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• In December 1943, the Cairo Declaration was
  issued by the Chinese, U.S. and British
  governments, stipulating that Japan should return
  to China all the territories it had stolen from
  the Chinese, including Northeast China, Taiwan
  and the Penghu Archipelago.

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Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Chiang
Kai-shek
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• The Potsdam Proclamation, or Proclamation
  Defining Terms for Japanese Surrender, a
  statement calling for the Surrender of Japan in
  World War II, signed by China, the United States
  and Britain in 1945 stipulated that "The terms of
  the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out."

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• In August 1945, Japan surrendered and promised to
  faithfully fulfill the obligations laid down in
  the Potsdam Proclamation.
• On October 25, 1945, the Chinese government
  recovered Taiwan and the Penghu Archipelago,
  resuming the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan.

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2. What is the origin of the Taiwan issue?

• The Chinese people, led by the Communist Party,
  founded the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) in
  1949, replacing the government of the Republic of
  China (ROC) to become the only legal government
  of the whole of China and its sole legal
  representative in the international arena.

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• A group of military and political officials of
  the Kuomintang (KMT), or Chinese Nationalist
  Party, took refuge in Taiwan and, with the
  support of the U.S. , created the division
  between the two sides of the Straits.

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Chiang Kai-shek (18871975)
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• KMT has continued to use the designations
  "Republic of China" and "government of the
  Republic of China.
• Thats the origin of the Taiwan issue.

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• In October 1971, the United Nations General
  Assembly adopted at its 26th Session Resolution
  2758, which expelled the representatives of the
  Taiwan authorities and restored the seat and all
  the lawful rights of the government of the PRC in
  the United Nations.

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Japan

• In 1972, China and Japan established diplomatic
  relations.
• Japan recognizes the government of the PRC as
  the only legitimate government of China, fully
  understands and respects the Chinese government's
  position that Taiwan is an inalienable part of
  the territory of the PRC.

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The United States

• In December 1978, China and the U.S. established
  diplomatic relations.
• The U.S. recognizes the government of the
  People's Republic of China as the sole legal
  government of China" and "acknowledges the
  Chinese position that there is but one China and
  Taiwan is a part of China."

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Paul V. Kane

• To Save Our Economy, Ditch Taiwan, New York
  Times, Nov. 11, 2011.
• Obama should enter into closed-door negotiations
  with Chinese leaders to write off the 1.14
  trillion of American debt currently held by China
  in exchange for a deal to end American military
  assistance and arms sales to Taiwan and terminate
  the current United States-Taiwan defense
  arrangement by 2015. 

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3. What is the Chinese government's policy on
Taiwan?

• In 1979 the Chinese government adjusted its
  policy towards Taiwan from liberation to
  peaceful reunification and gradually the
  scientific concept of "one country, two systems"
  emerged.

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Key points of the policy 1

• China will do its best to achieve peaceful
  reunification, but will not commit itself to rule
  out the use of force

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Key points of the policy 2

• China will actively promote people-to-people
  contacts and economic and cultural exchanges
  between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits, and
  start direct trade, postal, air and shipping
  services as soon as possible

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Key points of the policy 3

• China will achieve reunification through peaceful
  negotiations and, on the premise of the One-China
  Principle, any matter can be negotiated.

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After reunification 1

• After reunification, the policy of "one country,
  two systems" will be practiced, with the main
  body of China (China mainland) continuing with
  its socialist system, and Taiwan maintaining its
  capitalist system for a long period of time to
  come.

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After reunification 2

• After reunification, Taiwan will enjoy a high
  degree of autonomy, and the Central Government
  will not send troops or administrative personnel
  to be stationed in Taiwan.

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Internal affairs

• While carrying out the policy of peaceful
  reunification, the Chinese government always
  makes it clear that the means used to solve the
  Taiwan issue is a matter of China's internal
  affairs.

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Use of force 1

• China is under no obligation to commit itself to
  rule out the use of force.
• This is by no means directed against Taiwanese
  people, but against the scheme to create an
  "independent Taiwan" and against the foreign
  forces interfering with the reunification of
  China.

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Use of force 2

• It is intended as a necessary safeguard for the
  striving for peaceful reunification.
• Resort to force would only be the last choice
  made under compelled circumstances.

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Use of force 3

• If Taiwan denies the One-China Principle and
  tries to separate Taiwan from the territory of
  China, the premise and basis for peaceful
  reunification will cease to exist.

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4. What is Taiwans position?

• In 1988, after Lee Teng-hui became the leader of
  the Taiwan authorities, he publicly stated time
  and again that the basic policy of the Taiwan
  authorities was that "there is only one China,
  not two," and "we have always maintained that
  China should be reunited, and we adhere to the
  principle of 'one China."

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However, starting from the early 1990s,

• Lee Teng-hui gradually deviated from the
  One-China Principle, trumpeting "two
  governments, "two reciprocal political
  entities.
• Lee Teng-hui "Taiwan is already a state with
  independent sovereignty," and at the present
  stage the Republic of China is on Taiwan and the
  People's Republic of China is on the mainland."
• Lee Teng-hui I have never said that there is
  only one China.

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Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian
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Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian

• In foreign relations, to carry out the activities
  for "expanding the international space of
  survival" .
• In military affairs, to buy large quantities of
  advanced weapons from foreign countries.

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• In ideology and culture, to destroy the Chinese
  awareness of Taiwanese and their identification
  with the motherland.

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5. Why cannot Taiwan declare itself a state
under the name of the Republic of China?

• First, state sovereignty is inseparable.
• Second, the international community recognizes
  that there is only one China, that Taiwan is a
  part of China, and that the government of the PRC
  is the sole legal government of China.

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• Third, the reason that the Taiwan question has
  not been settled for such a long period of time
  is mainly due to the intervention of foreign
  forces and the obstruction of the separatist
  forces in Taiwan.

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Two German states formula"

• Why cannot the "two German states formula" be
  applied to the settlement of the Taiwan issue?
• First, the German question arose entirely from
  external factors, while the Taiwan issue, left
  over by China's civil war, is a matter of China's
  internal affairs.

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• Second, Germany was divided according to a series
  of international treaties during and after the
  Second World War, while the Taiwan question
  involves provisions of the Cairo Declaration, the
  Potsdam Proclamation and other international
  treaties, stating that Japan must return Taiwan.

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• Third, the two German states had foreign troops
  stationing in their territories and so were
  compelled to recognize each other and co-exist in
  the international community the Chinese
  government has always persisted in the principle
  of one China.

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Controversy about democracy and system"

• The different social systems across the Straits
  should not constitute any barrier to peaceful
  reunification.
• The Chinese government acknowledges the
  differences between Taiwan on the one hand and
  Hong Kong and Macao on the other so it is
  prepared to apply a looser form of the "one
  country, two systems" policy in Taiwan than in
  Hong Kong and Macao.

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6. How to understand One-China Principle in
the International Community?

• 1) Relations between Taiwan and those countries
  maintaining diplomatic relations with the
  mainland of China no official ties, only
  non-governmental economic or cultural exchanges.
• As a part of China, Taiwan has no right to
  represent China in the international community,
  nor can it establish diplomatic ties or enter
  into relations of an official nature with foreign
  countries.

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2) Relations between international organizations
and Taiwan

• (a) Only under the principle of one China and in
  the light of the nature and statutes of the
  international organizations concerned as well as
  the specific circumstances, can the Chinese
  Government consider the question of Taiwan's
  participation in the activities of such
  organizations.

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• (b) All the specialized agencies and
  organizations of the United Nations system are
  intergovernmental organizations composed of
  sovereign states, and Taiwan's re-entry into the
  UN is out of the question.

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• (c) Aviation services State-run airlines of
  countries having diplomatic relations with China
  certainly must not operate air services to
  Taiwan. Privately-operated airlines must seek
  China's consent.

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• (d) Arms sales to Taiwan by countries having
  diplomatic relations with China No
• - Chinese ambassador to the United States Zhang
  Yesui China strongly urges the United States to
  be fully aware of the high sensitivity and
  serious harm of the issue, seriously treat the
  solemn stance of China, honor its commitment and
  immediately cancel the wrong decision.

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7. What is the situation of the Cross-Strait
relations now?

• Ma Ying-jeou was sworn into office on May 20,
  2008.
• The Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement
  (ECFA) is a preferential trade agreement between
  the governments of the mainland of China and
  Taiwan, signed on June 29, 2010, in Chongqing.
• Cross-Strait economic relations are booming.

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Three links

• Direct postal, direct transportation and direct
  trade were officially restored on 15 December
  2008.

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WHO

• After 12 failed attempts since 1997 to join the
  United Nations World Health Organization (WHO)
  as an observer, Taiwan has been invited to take
  part in the WHOs World Health Assembly in Geneva
  in May 2009.

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Diplomatic truce

• It was reported that Ma Ying-jeou put forward the
  notion of diplomatic truce after he came to
  power.
• Ma Ying-jeou told The Economist in June 2009 that
  he believes China has even adopted the surprising
  policy of refusing requests from countries that
  recognize Taiwan to switch their diplomatic ties
  to China instead.

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8. What is the implication of the Taiwan issue
on China-Latin America relations?

• Motivations behind Chinas interest in LA
• Economic reasons
• Natural resources
• Potential market for Chinese products
• Political reasons
• - To build a harmonious world

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• To learn some Latin American experiences and
  lessons in the process of promoting Chinas own
  economic and social progress.
• To strengthen Chinas soft power in an age of
  globalization.
• The Taiwan issue

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23 countries

• Today there are only 23 countries that maintain
  diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
• In Asia-Pacific 6
• Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau,
  Solomon Islands, Tuvalu.

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In Latin America 12

• Central America 6
• Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama,
  El Salvador
• Caribbean 5
• Dominican Republic, Haiti, Saint Christopher and
  Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the
  Grenadines
• South America
• Paraguay

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• Africa 4
• Burkina Faso, Sao Tome and Principe, Swaziland,
  Gambia.
• Europe 1
• Vatican

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Question of the representation of Taiwan in the
UN

• Taiwans move to apply for membership in the
  United Nations started in 1993.
• Since then it has been making great efforts to
  ask its allies, including the Central American
  and the Caribbean countries, to raise the
  so-called question of the representation of
  Taiwan in the United Nations.

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Money matters.

• Former Costa Rican President Miguel Angel
  Rodríguez (1998-2002) resigned from his new post
  as OAS chief in 2004 after Costa Rican newspaper
  La Nación reported that he got money from a
  French company and Taiwan.
• Many countries in Latin America get economic aid
  from mainland of China and Taiwan.

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• Sir Garfield Sobers
• Gymnasium,
• Barbados

• The building of the Barbados government
  offices
• Barbados GDP per capita
• 12 000US

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National Stadium of the Bahamas (Capacity 30
000)Chinas largest aid project in the
CaribbeanThe Bahamas GDP Per capita 24 000US,
total population 307.000
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Saint Lucia

• The December 2006 general election resulted in
  defeat of the Labor Party by the United Workers
  Party.
• On April 30, 2007, Saint Lucia switched to Taiwan
  and China cut its relations on May 5.
• PRC is against double recognition.
• Saint Lucia established diplomatic ties with PRC
  on September 1, 1997.

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Trinidad Express Newspaper

• According to its article titled Taiwan's 'dollar
  diplomacy' affecting St Lucia politics, Taiwan
  seems to be creating problems for some of the
  member states of Caricom as it continues its
  long, arduous battle for international
  recognition to secure membership of the United
  Nations as a sovereign state.

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Other switches

• Grenada 1985/10/01 with PRC 1989/07/19 with
  Taiwan, 2005/01/20 again with PRC
• Nicaragua 1985/12/07 with PRC, 1990/11/06 with
  Taiwan.
• Belize 1987/02/06 with PRC, 1989/10/23 with
  Taiwan.

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Costa Rica

• On June 1, 2007, China made a historical
  breakthrough in its relations with Central
  America.
• According to Joint Communiqué, The Costa Rican
  government recognizes that there is only one
  China in the world and the government of the
  People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate
  government representing the whole China. Taiwan
  is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory.

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Diplomatic truce in LA

• Paraguayan President Lugo said in the election
  campaign that he would shift diplomatic stance to
  Beijing if he could win the presidency.
• According to Chiang H. John, the son of the
  former Taiwan leader Chiang Ching-kuo, Paraguay
  is the first successful example showing the
  effectiveness of the diplomatic truce.

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Ecuador

• After granting a contract of building a
  hydroelectric plant to the Chinese company
  Sinohydro in October 2009, Ecuador started to
  negotiate with the Export-Import Bank of China
  (Ex-im Bank) for a loan of 1.7 billion.
• The Ex-im would like to request the Central Bank
  of Ecuador to put up its own assets as collateral
  for the loan.

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• President Correa Ecuador could get the funds
  from another source by changing its international
  policy.
• The Ex-im Bank gave in, though Taiwan did not say
  that it would provide Ecuador with the loan.

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Who will win the 2012 election?
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• Thank you.