Taiwan Policy Memo
Maria Serpas
PSCI 356
Dr. Kramer
March 19, 2015
Subject: What should US policy towards military assistance to Taiwan be?
Historical Background: Taiwan, otherwise known as the Republic of China (ROC), has a complicated political status on the world stage. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) lays territorial claims to Taiwan and most countries recognize China as the mainland as Taiwan as an autonomous region within it. However, Taiwan sees itself independent as the true government of China, but only a couple dozen countries recognize it as sovereign government and by technical definition of what constitutes as a sovereign state under the Montevideo Convention of 1933, Taiwan fits the criteria.1 Though before 1971, both countries laid claims to “China’s” seat on the UN and other international organizations, the PRC was given the seat due to its more powerful status and as a more strategic ally in combating the USSR’s (Soviet Union’s) influence as the PRC and the USSR were not on good terms by this point. Therefore, the ROC’s “seat” on international conferences is currently occupied by the PRC. This grants Taiwan virtually no presence on the world stage, and due to the PRC’s influence, also denied “observer status,” which would grant them presence without power to make decisions. Despite this, many countries continue to have official non-diplomatic relations with Taiwan, including economic relations. Taiwan greatly benefits from these economic relationships and has become a forerunner in the technological industry with a strong economy to match. This makes Taiwan a valuable trade partner to the US. To better assess Taiwan’s importance in American foreign policy in East Asia, understanding its history and current relations with the PRC and the US will help the US better shape its policy.
The relationship between the PRC and the ROC is generally strained due to ideological differences. In the 1990s, Taiwan’s one-party system transitioned into a democratic
PSCI 356
Dr. Kramer
March 19, 2015
Subject: What should US policy towards military assistance to Taiwan be?
Historical Background: Taiwan, otherwise known as the Republic of China (ROC), has a complicated political status on the world stage. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) lays territorial claims to Taiwan and most countries recognize China as the mainland as Taiwan as an autonomous region within it. However, Taiwan sees itself independent as the true government of China, but only a couple dozen countries recognize it as sovereign government and by technical definition of what constitutes as a sovereign state under the Montevideo Convention of 1933, Taiwan fits the criteria.1 Though before 1971, both countries laid claims to “China’s” seat on the UN and other international organizations, the PRC was given the seat due to its more powerful status and as a more strategic ally in combating the USSR’s (Soviet Union’s) influence as the PRC and the USSR were not on good terms by this point. Therefore, the ROC’s “seat” on international conferences is currently occupied by the PRC. This grants Taiwan virtually no presence on the world stage, and due to the PRC’s influence, also denied “observer status,” which would grant them presence without power to make decisions. Despite this, many countries continue to have official non-diplomatic relations with Taiwan, including economic relations. Taiwan greatly benefits from these economic relationships and has become a forerunner in the technological industry with a strong economy to match. This makes Taiwan a valuable trade partner to the US. To better assess Taiwan’s importance in American foreign policy in East Asia, understanding its history and current relations with the PRC and the US will help the US better shape its policy.
The relationship between the PRC and the ROC is generally strained due to ideological differences. In the 1990s, Taiwan’s one-party system transitioned into a democratic
Bibliography: the Straits. Singapore: World Scientific, 2011. Lord, Winston. "Taiwan Policy Review," Statement before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Washington, D.C., September 27, 1994, http://usinfo.org/sino/review_e.htm. “Transcript of New York Times Interview With President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan,” The New York Times, October 31, 2014 Congress, Congressional Research Service, August 29, 2014). (Washington DC: U.S Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service, December 11, 2014)