China-Taiwan Relations
China recently sent its 39 warplanes on a flight towards Taiwan. Continuing the old pattern, China launched the first such military offensive in the new year. In response, the island nation Taiwan sent its jets.
The main reasons behind these actions:
- China, often used to express displeasure at Taiwan’s actions to offend China, or international support for a ‘democratic-ruled Taiwanese island’, especially by the ‘United States’ Keeps taking actions. It should be noted that America is the main supplying country of arms to Taiwan.
- China describes these actions as necessary to defend the country’s sovereignty and to deal with the “collusion” between Taipei and Washington.
- Chinese pilots have been flying to Taiwan almost daily over the past year and a half, since Taiwan’s government began publishing data regularly. Last October, China’s 56 warplanes carried out the largest military strike in a single day.
Related disputes:
Military pressure is being increased by China on Taiwan, under which China is conducting operations of Chinese warplanes near this democratic Taiwan. Beijing claims Taiwan and is not averse to taking it by force.
latest developments:
- The first official delegation set up by the European Parliament to Taiwan has backed Taiwan, saying the diplomatically isolated island country is not alone.
- In the wake of Beijing’s growing pressure on Taipei, the ‘European Parliament Delegation’ has called for clear and bold actions to strengthen EU-Taiwan ties.
- Currently, Taiwan does not have formal diplomatic relations with any European nation except ‘Vatican City’. Now Taiwan is keen to deepen ties with EU members.
Background:
- China claims Taiwan through its ‘One China’ policy. In 1949, at the end of the two-decade civil war in China, when the founder of the People’s Republic of China, Mao Zedong, took control of all of China, leaders and supporters of the opposition Nationalist Party fled to the island of Taiwan. Since then, the People’s Republic of China has vowed to bring Taiwan under Beijing, and to use force if necessary.
- China is Taiwan’s top trading partner. During the year 2018, the total trade between the two countries was $226 billion.
- Although Taiwan is a self-governing country and de facto independent, it has never formally declared independence from China.
- Taiwan conducts its own affairs under the “one country, two systems” formula; A similar arrangement is used in Hong Kong.
- Currently, China lays claim to Taiwan, and talks about not having diplomatic relations with countries that recognize it as a nation.
India-Taiwan Relations:
- Although India-Taiwan do not have formal diplomatic relations, Taiwan and India are cooperating in various fields.
- India has refused to support China’s ‘One China’ policy since 2010.
Source: The Hindu
