4

An email newsletter from Eurasia Group contains the following paragraph, and I’ve bolded the statement relevant to the question:

In recent months, the temperature has risen as the US broadens its diplomatic support for the pro-independence leadership that won Taiwan’s elections in 2016, while China has increased its efforts to diplomatically isolate and militarily threaten the island. Chinese officials have warned that if the US keeps up its new overtures to Taiwan, Beijing could move to forcefully reunite the island with the mainland – a longstanding threat that carries new weight under the assertive leadership of President Xi Jinping.

2

1 Answer 1

5

Yes, the People's Republic of China's(PRC) official position on Taiwan/Republic of China(ROC) is of diplomatic isolation and military intervention if they become too independent.

Diplomatic isolation: This is defined by the One-China Policy. The PRC refuses to have diplomatic relations with anyone who officially recognizes Taiwan/ROC as a separate government. Many nations still maintain unofficial relations the the ROC by simply acknowledging that the One-China Policy exists without actually supporting it, or by simply not explicitly calling Taiwan a country.

Military intervention: The PRC's 2005 'Anti-Secession Law' very clearly shows their stance on military intervention in regards to Taiwanese independence. Most of the law outlines how the PRC should negotiate with Taiwan and how attempts at peaceful reunification should be handled. However, Article 8 of the law apparently deals with non-peaceful actions, specifically that military force will be automatically used if Taiwan attempts to become independent or if all peaceful options fail.

4
  • 4
    "if Taiwan attempts to become independent" That's misleading because Taiwan is already independent. The question is one of de jure or declared independence.
    – Readin
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 1:24
  • Specific example of how the isolation works: Air New Zealand has recently started a service direct from NZ to Taiwan. (NZ is one of the countries that acknowledges the One-China policy, as @Giter says.) They rotate the aircraft on routes around the Pacific, including to the Mainland. Of course nobody flies anywhere without paperwork. A recent flight in from Taiwan, out to Shanghai, had bits of Taiwan paperwork leftover in the flight plan filing for Shanghai. PRC refused to let the plane land; it had to return to NZ when already 2 hours into the flight.
    – AntC
    Commented Sep 2, 2019 at 13:45
  • @AntC: But how does flying through Taiwan violate the One-China policy?
    – einpoklum
    Commented Feb 19, 2022 at 22:45
  • @einpoklum I guess China thinks China is in charge of Taiwanese flight planning Commented Apr 1, 2022 at 12:15

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .