The Conflict Between Taiwan and China: An Historical Analysis

In 1949, Chiang Kai-Shek withdrew with two million followers to the island of Taiwan. Ever since then, mainland China has wanted Taiwan back and the support of its people. The majority of the world views Chinese people and Taiwanese as the same identity. But to Taiwanese, this is a stereotype that not only demeans their identity, but also their heritage. Taiwanese are proud by standards because of their de facto independence from communist China.

This conflict pervades the global community from the Far East, all the way around the globe to the West. Everyone walks a fine line towards alliances as many legal binding allegiances twist its way through every country tied to China and Taiwan. The U.S. for example, is bound to help Taiwan in times of distress through the Taiwan Relations Act that was made decades ago. But on the other hand, the U.S. wants to maintain its support for China because of its international role of an emerging superpower. If conflict ever sprouts up between Taiwan and China, the U.S. will be torn between which country to help, and once the U.S. is drawn into the conflict, other countries will also be drawn into the conflict because of age old allegiances to help during times of conflict.

So what are potential solutions to this ongoing and impending conflict? First of all, bring awareness to the issue. By spreading the knowledge throughout the public, people will know more and thus be less stereotypical about the issue. By providing the public with the views of two perspectives, people might start supporting Taiwan in their fight for independence. And from there, the support might work itself up the upper hierarchies of politics, eventually concluding in the official independence of Taiwan.