Taiwan/Transnational issues

Disputes - international: The position of the People's Republic of China is that Taiwan is part of the territory of the People's Republic which is currently not administered by it. The PRC bases its position of the Instrument of Surrender of Japan which transferred Taiwan over to the Republic of China, and the PRC role as the successor government of the ROC. The PRC consistently has maintained that Taiwan is an internal issue and has attempted with considerable success to keep Taiwan militarily and diplomatically isolated.

The position of Taiwan on its own status is a bit unclear and subject to vigourous debate on the island itself. Before 1991, it was that the government in Taipei was the legitimate goverment of all of China. In 1991, Taiwan declared that it would not challenge the PRC's authority over the Mainland, however this left vague Taiwan's own status. Although no significant part of the Taiwanese electorate recognizes the PRC claim on Taiwan and there is the believe that the democratic nature of the ROC gives it the legitimacy to rule Taiwan, there is considerable debate over whether Taiwan is part of China or if Taiwan is an independent, sovereign nation. The current government refuses to explicit on this issue because explicitness would not only cause major political turmoil on the island but also a clear declaration of independence would cause the PRC to initiate military action against Taiwan.

The position of the United States is also deliberately unclear. The wording of the three communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act is deliberately set up to not outright reject the position of the PRC while at the same time allowing the United States considerable leeway to adjust its policies to the situation.

Taiwan involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as does China

Illicit drugs: considered an important heroin transit point; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamines and heroin

U.S.-Taiwan Relations

Relationship between the United States and Taiwan are governed by three comminques signed with the People's Republic of China in addition to the [Taiwan Relations Act]?.

According to the CIA world factbook.

  The U.S. has welcomed and encouraged the cross-Strait dialogue 
  as a process which contributes to a reduction of tension and to an 
  environment conducive to the eventual peaceful resolution of the 
  outstanding differences between the two sides. The United States 
  believes that differences between Taipei and Beijing should be 
  resolved by the people on both sides of the Strait themselves. The 
  U.S. has consistently stated that its abiding interest is that the 
  process be peaceful. 

This statement is an example of the careful wording that the United States has to undergo in order to avoid stepping on any mines in the minefield. A clear statement that the United States does not recognize the PRC claim over Taiwan would bring instant diplomatic retaliation from the PRC. A clear statement that the United States does recognize the PRC claim over Taiwan would risk encouraging the PRC to take military action against Taiwan, and would also be politically impossible in view of the sympathy that Taiwan has in the United States. So the United States responds by refusing to be clear on anything. This is why Taiwan has it's own section of the CIA fact book.

Fortunately, all of the parties in this issue are not dissatisfied by the current situation, and there is a generally agreement to maintain the "status quo" which includes not being very clear about what the "status quo" really is.

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through a private instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the US with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 12 other US cities

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through a private corporation, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which has its headquarters in Rosslyn, Virginia (telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474 and FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385) and offices in Taipei at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, telephone [886] (2) 2709-2000, FAX [886] (2) 2702-7675, and in Kao-hsiung at #2 Chung Cheng 3d Road, telephone [886] (7) 224-0154 through 0157, FAX [886] (7) 223-8237, and the American Trade Center at Room 3207 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei 10548, telephone [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX [886] (2) 2757-7162

Formally the AIT is a private organization, but its staff consists of career diplomats from the United States State Department who are on formally on leave to serve in the AIT. Again, this is an example of the type of compromise that the United States has to go through in order to prevent diplomatic problems.

Citizenship: Since Taiwan is not recognized as a soverign country, many Taiwanese citizens (especially businessmen that must travel abroad) maintain dual citizenship with another country, like the United States. (Could someone elaborate on this? I don't know of any nation other than the PRC which doesn't recognize the ROC passport. I also don't know of many Taiwanese who maintain dual citizenship).