China’s Cross-Strait Relations with Taiwan
International observers continue to focus on the relationship between China and Taiwan in the context of changing global dynamics.
Cross-strait relations are influenced by a mix of diplomatic tactics, military activities, and economic ties as China enforces its position on Taiwan as part of its "One China" policy.
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) was established in 1949 under the leadership of Mao Zedong, following a protracted civil war primarily between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Kuomintang (KMT).
The KMT was a nationalist party focused on unifying China and opposing communism, but it operated more as an authoritarian regime than a fully democratic party. After the CCP's victory, many KMT leaders and supporters faced persecution and retreated to Taiwan, where they established a separate government.
This led to ongoing tensions between the PRC and Taiwan regarding their political status and sovereignty.
The One China policy refers to the position held by the People's Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party that Taiwan is a part of Chinese territory and is not its own sovereign state, leading to a multitude of Chinese efforts, some successful, to mark Taiwan universally as its territory.
Economic ties : A Key Element of Cross Strait Relations
Despite significant geopolitical tensions, Taiwan and China have strong economic ties, with China being Taiwan's largest trading partner, accounting for 22.6 percent of total trade and 19.6 percent of Taiwan’s imports in 2022.
Part of the rationale behind China’s extensive trade with Taiwan could be seen to be to foster economic dependency which could influence Taiwan's political landscape and support China's long-term goal of reunification.
By integrating Taiwan's economy with its own, China could exercise greater influence over Taiwan's political decisions.
If Taiwan becomes more economically dependent on China, it may be less likely to pursue policies that conflict with independence or Beijing's interests.
Additionally, considering China represents a vast market for Taiwanese goods and services, by maintaining strong trade relations, China can increase Taiwan’s dependency on its market making it increasingly challenging for Taiwan to turn away from economic ties.
This can clearly be seen through statistics such as that it is is estimated that around 15% to 20% of Taiwan's GDP growth can be attributed to exports to China, as said on the East Asia Forum, and that nearly 40% of Taiwan’s exported goods go to China highlighting Taiwan’s increased export dependency on China.
Military strategies
While economic relations have been relatively strong, cross-strait security tensions have risen exponentially.
The People’s Republic of China has significantly increased its presence in the Taiwan strait with Chinese warplanes frequently entering Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
In 2023 alone, Taiwan reported 1,400 incursions by Chinese military aircraft, marking a 55% increase from the 900 incursions reported in 2022 (Taiwan Ministry of National Defense, 2023).
The PRC views these military exercises as essential preparations for potential unification, while Taiwan and its allies interpret them as a form of military intimidation.
To counteract this intimidation, the Taiwanese government announced plans to acquire $19 billion in advanced military equipment from the United States over the next five years, including anti-aircraft missiles and modern fighter jets (U.S. Department of Defense, 2024).
Diplomatic Efforts and Cultural Exchange
Diplomatic relations surrounding the are intricate, and are made even more complex due to China’s ‘One China’ policy which aims to effectively alienate Taiwan diplomatically through asserting the claim that there is only One China and that Taiwan (also known as the Republic of China) is part of it.
Since 2016, the PRC has pursued a campaign to isolate Taiwan diplomatically by encouraging countries to cut formal ties with Taipei in favor of Beijing.
As of 2024, only 13 countries maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, down from 22 in 2000.
This attempt to get countries to formally disregard Taiwan as its own sovereign state, naturally strains cross strait relations between both countries.
Despite these political difficulties, cultural and academic interactions persist between the two sides.
Many Taiwanese students attend mainland Chinese institutions, and Chinese visitors and cultural happenings are frequently observed in Taiwan.
These interactions enhance interpersonal bonds and collective cultural encounters, offering a gentler path for Taiwan-mainland China relations despite political tension.
Overall dynamics
In conclusion, cross-strait relations between China and Taiwan remain a complex and multifaceted issue, shaped by a combination of military tensions, diplomatic maneuvering, and economic dependency.
While China's "One China" policy continues to exert significant pressure on Taiwan, both countries continue to foster robust economic ties that serve to highlight the deep integration of their markets.
However, the increased military presence and diplomatic isolation campaign by Beijing have only heightened the uncertainty surrounding the future of Taiwan’s sovereignty.
Despite these challenges, cultural and academic exchanges between the two sides offer a glimmer of cooperation, illustrating that while political tensions may persist, people-to-people connections continue to thrive.
The evolving dynamic between China and Taiwan will undoubtedly remain a key point of international attention as the global landscape continues to shift.
