America's Reaction to a Taiwan Independence Movement.
The political dimension between the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) and the ROC (Republic of China) is an extremely unique and complex one. The CCP is the ruling party of mainland China and the ROC is the de facto government of Taiwan. With both governments having claim to all of mainland China and to Taiwan tensions are high across the Taiwan Strait. With all the political stress in the environment it is widely believed that China is ready to take back Taiwan by force if need by but the fear of American support for Taiwan is stopping them. With this in mind the goal is for a peaceful re-unification. Others believe that Taiwan will declare its independence from mainland China and that if this happens it will provoke the CCP to invade Taiwan. The likelihood of Taiwan declaring its independence from China in the next decade is slim to none and if by some small chance they did, the United States will likely be there to support them (reluctantly), as the United States has to maintain its image of the global superpower. The major policy shaping US relations with Taiwan and China about the issue is the “One China” policy. The “One China” policy states that a government may only recognize one government of China, either the CCP from the mainland or the ROC from Taiwan. This policy has evolved immensely over the past half century. After the Chinese Civil War the Kuomintang (KMT) retreated to Taiwan after its loss to the CCP in mainland China. In 1952, Japan relinquished all claims to Taiwan in the San Francisco peace treaty but Taiwan was never officially returned to China. Ever since then the KMT has ruled Taiwan with de facto independence from the CCP in Beijing. In 1972 the United States stated in the Shanghai Communiqué, The United States acknowledges that Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China. The United States does not challenge that position.” The United States recognized the ROC as the true
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