Is Taiwan significant in the broad picture of world events? Or is its future merely a local concern?
by John Ross Schroeder
In word and deed-namely its biggest military show in 35
years-China has made it clear that it views the United States as potential
enemy No. 1" ("China Prepares Scenario for War With America," by John
Leicester, AP, San Antonio Express-News, October 23, 2000).
"Describing its relations with Taiwan
as 'complicated and grim,' China defended its recent military buildup
Monday and warned that it would go to war if necessary to reclaim Taiwan.
The threat came in a policy paper on the military issued by the cabinet" ("China
Repeats: We'll Fight to Take Taiwan," by Michael Dorgan, Knight-Ridder
Newspapers, Corpus Christi Caller-Times, October 17, 2000).
Go to war with whom? Definitely with Taiwan itself,
but also potentially with the United States, which for 50 years had indicated
its willingness to protect this island from a forceful takeover by the
Chinese mainland.
Are these serious threats or is
China merely bluffing in order to gain the diplomatic advantage? One
former American diplomat said the following: "The whole relationship
between China and the United States is based on an untruth. It is an
untruth that China is prepared to go to war to defend [Taiwan]."
Is this a credible view or is there
another side to the story? Before we attempt to answer, a brief political
history of Taiwan is in order.
A brief history
China successfully invaded Taiwan
in 1683 and retained control until 1895 when the Chinese lost a naval
war with Japan. The island was then ceded to the Japanese. Nearly 50
years later at the Cairo Conference in 1943, President Roosevelt and
Prime Minister Churchill decided to give Taiwan back to China. Chiang
Kai-shek's Chinese Nationalist government took Taiwan over in 1945.
