Video #11 - Taiwan and China
Monday, January 09, 2006BACKGROUND INFORMATION
China's Communist Party newspaper published an article in December of 2001 explaining that nation's conflict with Taiwan. It said that despite the progress which has been made in economic and trade relations, there still exists the major political problem of whether "to uphold or negate the one-China principle." The article said that while China strives towards "peaceful reunification and one country, two (economic) systems," it "will not look on with folded arms towards the activities of 'Taiwan independence'." Additionally, the article stated that "Mainland China and Taiwan belong to one China geographically, historically, in blood relationship, and in reality all the more."
Regarding trade relations between the two areas, Chinese statistics showed that 3, 312 Taiwanese investment projects in China were approved in the first ten months of 2001. These projects tend to be in Eastern China and are predominantly scientific or high-tech. Reportedly, Taiwanese businessmen are also searching for business opportunities in Mainland China's financial, telecommunications, commercial retail, and wholesale industries.
According to statistics for the same time period, the total volume of cross-strait indirect trade was $26.1 billion dollars, an increase of 4.6 per cent over the first ten months of 2000. Of this, exports by Mainland China to Taiwan amounted to $4 billion, a decrease of 2.6 percent. At present, Taiwan is the fifth-largest trade partner and the second-largest market of Mainland China, and Mainland China is the second-largest export market and largest source of favorable trade balance with Taiwan.
There have also been frequent contacts between economic and trade personnel of the two sides. From January to November of 2001, 1,574 economic and trade groups and teams of Mainland China traveled to Taiwan, an increase of 34.4 percent over the same period in 2000, and the economic and trade personnel going to Taiwan totaled 8, 413, an increase of 37.9 percent.
The Communist Party report also noted that China and "Chinese Taipei" (Taiwan) finally entered the World Trade Organization in 2001. Experts feel this historic event will doubtlessly produce a significant impact on the economic and trade exchanges and cooperation between the two sides. Additionally, personnel contacts and the exchanges in the literary and art, scientific and technological, education, medical and other spheres of the two sides have continued to expand and deepen. In addition, the Qin Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses were exhibited in Taiwan, the "Same Song" and the "China Sentiments" were performed in Taiwan, and a number of excellent television series produced in Mainland China were broadcast in Taiwan.
According to the Renmin Ribao website, the Communist Party's interpretation of the one-China principle is as follows: "...it means adhering to the principle of 'there being only one China in the world, both China and Taiwan belonging to one China, and China's sovereignty and territorial integrity brooking no separation'. Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen specially declared that in resolving the Taiwan issue under the "one China, two systems" framework, policies which are even more relaxed than the policies toward Hong Kong and Macao will be carried out. For example, "Taiwan will be allowed to continue to use the Taiwan Government framework; Mainland China will not collect any taxes from Taiwan, and will not take any funds out of Taiwan; the lifestyle of Taiwan's people will not change; Taiwan entrepreneurs will keep their original property: Taiwan will be given decision-making power in personnel affairs; and Mainland China will not send officials to hold official posts in Taiwan..."
Interestingly, during his visit to Asia in February 2002, President Bush reassured Taiwan that he will honor U.S. commitments to its people and will continue to "press ahead" with a missile defense shield to protect U.S. friends and allies in the region. Taiwan Premier Yu Shyi-kun used the occasion to issue a conciliatory statement: "The two sides of the Taiwan Strait have already become members of the World Trade Organization. Therefore, there is a need for both sides to display even greater goodwill and mutual respect as well as to consider and to put into effect concrete measures." However, the Chinese government responded that Taiwanese officials would not be welcome as long as they do not accept the one-China principle, which maintains that Taiwan is part of Beijing-ruled China.
Most recently, the Kyodo World News Service reported on May 14, 2002, that: "In a bid to shelve the sovereignty dispute with China, Taiwan this year for the first time applied for observer status in the World Health Assembly...as a 'health entity' rather than a sovereign state under its official 'Republic of China' name. However, Taiwan's bid did not even make it to the provisional agenda of the World Health Assembly, as China mobilized 17 countries as well as the European Union representative to speak out against it."
This type of pressure from Beijing reportedly led President Bush to complain that Taiwan is not being treated fairly in international society-despite being the world's 14th-largest exporter and the seventh-largest trade partner of the United States.
Meanwhile, Taipei's Central News Agency quotes Taiwan's President, Chen Shui-bian, as saying, "As a sovereign and independent state, Taiwan will continue seeking to participate in major international organizations such as the United Nations." Chen added that Taiwan is willing to conduct negotiations with Mainland China without any set preconditions, as long as "Taiwan is not downgraded or marginalized to the status of a local government by the mainland." He also said that Taiwan should sign free trade agreements with United States, Japan and Singapore to counter the attraction of the Mainland Chinese market.
Clearly, the China-Taiwan dispute has a long way to go before it is resolved.
SOURCES:
"Asia: A wafer-thin argument, Taiwan and China." The Economist, April 13, 2002, pp 65.
"Taiwan lawmakers condemn China for blocking WHO observer bid," Kyodo World News Service, May 5, 2002.
"Taiwan: President says U.S. ties in "best shape ever", to pursue WHO bid." Central News Agency website, Taipei, August 23, 2002.
Ganz, Susanne, "Taiwan premier hopes for balance in Taiwan U.S. China ties," Kyodo World News Service, February 21, 2002.
Ribao Renmin website, "Communist Party daily views China's relationship with Taiwan," December 29, 2001, Page 6.
LESSON PLAN
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT: 10-12/Economics, International Relations, World History, International Baccalaureate Programs (IB), Current Events
PURPOSE:
To present activities to be used in a variety of classroom situations in order to enhance student understanding of the Asian economy and its significance globally.
OBJECTIVES:
Students will be able to:
- Locate the geographical relationship between Taiwan and China on a map of Asia.
- Analyze the historical and economic ties between Taiwan and China.
- Evaluate the current relationship between the two nations.
- Create a scenario for the future relationship these two areas may create.
MATERIALS:
- Background information provided.
- Resources on China and Taiwan available at your school's Media Center and the Public Library System in your area.
- Background information available through Internet "search engines."
ACTIVITIES:
May be assigned as group activities or as individual tasks. They may also be designed as preparation for related presentations either by individuals or groups.
- Develop a timeline of important events relating China and Taiwan.
- Use charts and graphs to illustrate the relationship of these two nations.
- Hold a formal debate using the point of view of Mainland China and that of the Republic of China. Students may role play public officials from both sides of the strait.
- Write editorials expressing your point of view on the issue.
- Write a position paper proposing ways in which both sides may accommodate their differences.
EVALUATION:
Individual assignments should be graded by the teacher using established criteria.
Group activities, presentations and projects may be evaluated by teachers and students using the following criteria and scale:
Content Creativity Clarity
1 = Superior (A) 2 = Excellent (B) 3 = Good (C) 4 = Fair (D) 5 = Poor (F)
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