Nicholas Netzer
Contemporary China 370
Dr. Charles Hammond
Journal #10
The United States is playing big brother again, this time between Taiwan and China. Recently the president of Taiwan, Chen Shui-bian, has been talking of calling a referendum to vote for his island’s sovereignty or change in status next year, but the United States has asked him to back down on his talks. Currently the U.S. is in a position where it does not want either side to unilaterally change the status quo and said “We also urge both sides to refrain from actions or statements that increase tensions or make dialogue more difficult to achieve.”
U.S. has said that it is committed to ‘One China’ which includes Taiwan and the White House continues to be very careful in handling the situation with Taiwan as the Chinese opposition could drag Washington into this debacle. China has put things simply, saying that, “China's sovereignty and territorial integrity cannot be divided.” They believe that democratic Taiwan is renegade that must eventually return to China.
Taipei recently passed a law that makes it rather difficult to call a referendum on independence under the current legislature. Also, the parliament passed a defensive referendum that will allow the government of Taiwan the declare independence if they are attacked by mainland China. Things are edgy, and for now peace has prevailed.
