Using NewsHour Extra Feature Stories

Overview: NewsHour Extra features stories can help students identify and interpret key issues in current events. This activity anticipates one class period, but the follow-up essay might be assigned as homework, or in another period.

Warm Up: Use initiating questions to introduce the topic and find out how much your students know.

Main Activity: Have students read NewsHour Extra's feature story and answer the questions on the reading comprehension handout.

Discussion: Use discussion questions to encourage students to think about how the issues outlined in the story affect their lives and express and debate different opinions.

Follow-up: Students can write an 500-word editorial on the topic expressing their views and send it to NewsHour Extra [extra@newshour.org] for possible publication.

Evaluation: Students are graded on their answers to reading comprehension questions and/or their editorial.

Story: Taiwan's Declaration of Referendum Re-ignites Tensions with China: 12/08/03
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/july-dec03/taiwan_12-08.html

Initiating Questions:

1. Have you ever seen the label "Made in Taiwan" on a piece of clothing or an electronic device?

2. Where is Taiwan? What do you know about it?

Reading Comprehension Questions: (click here for printout)

1. What is the president of Taiwan asking of China?

Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian announced late last week that he planned a referendum in March -- an island-wide vote demanding that China remove ballistic missiles aimed at the island and renounce the use of force against Taiwan.

Taiwan's democratically elected legislature passed a bill last month that allowed the president to call a referendum if the country is "facing an external threat which may jeopardize national sovereignty."

Chen, who is seeking reelection in March, has said that the missiles constitute such a threat. He also added that the referendum would not involve the issue of independence but that it would reduce conflict in the region.

2. What is the "one China" policy?

The policy says China and Taiwan are one nation and should be treated as such.

3. Why is Taiwan an issue between the United States and China?

In recent weeks Chinese leaders have said that U.S.-China relations are threatened by America's "ambiguous" policy toward Taiwan. China views Taiwan as a breakaway republic and not a separate state. It has pushed for a reunification between the island and the mainland. In the past, China has appeared ready to use its military to force Taiwan to reunify.

Any military action could force the United States to act militarily to defend Taiwan, as it has promised in the past. The United States recognizes the "one China" policy but insists that any reunification between the island and mainland needs to be achieved diplomatically and without force.

4. Describe the relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan.

After 1949, when Communist forces, took over mainland China and over 2 million Nationalists fled to the small island that would become Taiwan, the U.S. government recognized Taiwan as the one true China . This recognition eventually led to financial and military aid, as well as promises to defend Taiwan against the Communists. The two countries signed a mutual security pact in 1954.

By 1979, the United States switched courses and recognized the People's Republic of China, in part as a way to prevent Soviet expansionism.

At first, the United States severed official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, accepted Beijing's "one China" mandate and abandoned its defense pact with the island. However, within months, the U.S. Congress reinstated unofficial economic ties with Taiwan, including the sale of arms and military defense of the island in what is known as the U.S.-Taiwan Relations Act.

5. What was President Bush's response to Taiwan's referendum proposal?

President Bush, meeting in Washington with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, responded that he does not support the referendum or any moves that would further Taiwan's attempts at independence. "We oppose any unilateral decision by either China or Taiwan to change the status quo," Mr. Bush said, "and the comments and actions made by the leader of Taiwan indicate that he may be willing to make decisions unilaterally, to change the status quo, which we oppose."

Discussion Activity (more research might be needed):

1 What can the United States do to diffuse tension between China and Taiwan? Explain.

2.Why is it important for the U.S. to have good relations with China?

3. Make a prediction about what will happen in March when Taiwan votes on whether to demand that China remove ballistic missiles aimed at the island and renounce the use of force against Taiwan. Have each person in the class write their prediction with their name. Collect the predictions and put them in a sealed envelope. Open the envelope in March after the vote to see if anyone's prediction was correct.

Send your answers, in essay form, to extra@newshour.org for possible publication!