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Should Taiwan Join China?

With ever increasing tension between China and Taiwan for unification, there is an increasing feeling among the Chinese populace that Taiwan should be apart of China and not an independent and separated government. However, to fully understand the significance of China's insistence that Taiwan be brought under its control, we need to look a little deeper to see whether China has this right of imposing its sovereignty on this tiny Island state.

From history we know that the Communist Party has ruled China since 1949, after a blood thirsty civil war that defeated the Chinese Nationalists. We all know that from reading Chinese history that communism doesn't rule by dialog and doesn't take prisoners. Chinese communism has always and still does to some degree rule by the butt of a rifle. It is safe to suggest that if the Chinese nationalists had stayed in China to continue the struggle that they would have been annihilated. However as we know the result was the Chinese Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government there.

In diplomacy and a rapidly changing world, Taiwan has learned to adjust to its own identity and build its economic base separate to that of China for obvious and good reasons. Taiwan has also been preparing and still is preparing for worst case scenarios while energetically pursuing their diplomatic goals. We now are seeing a "battle" of persuasion which seems at this point to be overwhelmingly on the side of mainland China. When the British gave Hong Kong back to the Chinese we saw one country with two systems. Then Macao returned from its years from Portuguese influence. Then Tibet. Now we have one country with four systems. It is not difficult to see China's continued ideology to be one of "occupation" that could see five systems in the future with not one shot fired in anger, even though the Dragon is angry to the unbending government and peoples of Taiwan.

Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiao Bao has had a good deal more success recently winning converts to the one-China policy. The Premier's carrot to lure away those countries that still recognize Taiwan is in tourism and trade. He has targeted, in particular, the resource rich countries of Latin America and Africa as well as the smallest of countries. The ideology is simple enough: if you want the newest free-spending tourists, the growing upper- and middle-class Chinese mainlanders, then recognize, accept, or agree to the one-China principle. If you want to deal with China economically, if you want China to buy what you have to sell, recognize the one-China principle. Money, and the promise of sharing in China's economic growth is what is driving the mainland strategy in dividing the normal international cooperation between themselves and Taiwan. Therefore it is safe to conclude that China's objective is to strangle Taiwan's economic base and military associations into one of isolation for the tiny state. We see a similar doctrine working very well in the Middle East.

Beijing's strategy is clear and autocratic in its behavior of neighboring states. Currently now there are only 26 countries left in the world that recognize Taiwan's full diplomatic recognition as a nation. The numbers are getting less due to China's economic boom and influence around the world. We have already seen in the last year a slight shift in the Yuan resulted in chaos in our money markets overseas, and put at risk our financial markets to the rest of the world. There is only one Savior that can come to Taiwan's aid and that is the United States. Without her Taiwan is finished.

The question remains, should Taiwan be an integral part of the Chinese system? We know that the Taiwanese are in fact Chinese by culture, that Taiwan's trade with China stands in excess of 2.2 billion U.S. dollars, about half of the $4.2 billion that the rest of the world has invested in Taiwan. Should Taiwan put the past behind her and "marry" the mega economy for its own prosperity including its prosperity with the rest of the world? These questions and more should go to the general Taiwanese people themselves. They were after all the victims of a repressed and autocratic and brutal regime, and tried to stop communism. Can the Taiwanese live with a marriage of convenience much like the smaller states of Hongkong, Macao, Tibet? The Taiwanese have enjoyed freedom from its neighbor for some time now, and they continue to enjoy there own culture and freedoms. Therefore having a taste of life away from the dominant specter of the dragon, can Taiwan live with the directives from Beijing.? I hardly think so. Therefore it is only prudent that Taiwan defend itself and build long term economic markets that ensures diversity and maintains long term sustainability. It must be able to defend its waterways and trade routes, and look at smarter initiatives that keeps China and the mainland at arms length. Taiwan has no choice but to build a significant deterrent to its threatening neighbor and must remain strong to counter the overwhelming military threat from the North.

In a post 1949 legacy when the island of Taipei became the refuge for the beaten Chinese Nationalists who lost their battle with the forces of revolution and Mao Tse Tung, its far better to live with the Devil we know, than the Devil we don't know.

About the Author:

Author has extensive experience in International Travel Destinations and International Travel Law, having completed IATA and ATTTO qualifications. Having traveled extensively i have visited and stayed in China and Russia, and Europe in recent times.

I have in depth knowledge on New Zealand destinations as well as Defense issues. Having joined the Royal New Zealand Navy i have considerable experience in Defense issues within New Zealand and Globally..