The relationship between China and Taiwan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The relationship between China and Taiwan - Essay Example The relationship has been frosty ever since. First, they disagree on the independence of Taiwan. Taiwan claims to be an independent state while China claims Taiwan is part of it. China has refused to grant Taiwan its independence and recognize its leaders. The people of mainland China insist that there is only a single China and that Taiwan is an indisputable part of it. They refer to the Hong Kong agreement of 1992 where both leaders had a consensus that recognized only one China. Taiwan, however, reject the existence of such an agreement. In 2011, the People’s Republic of China was admitted into the UN general assembly while Taiwan (Republic of China) was expelled. All that was because China refused to acknowledge its statehood. The tension between the two nations has created an ‘arms race’. China has deployed missiles along the Taiwan Strait. Both its amphibious and missile forces capabilities are modernized in preparation of any situation. Every time the Taiwanese inch closer towards independence, they get the backing of the US Neo conservatives. They see china as a potential military rival. Taiwan purchases its weapons from abroad, with the USA being the largest supplier. China has been objecting the sale of weapons by the USA to Taiwan (Council on Foreign Relations). However, despite their differences, the two nations have strong economic ties. Bilateral trade was $102 billion in 2007, up from just $8 billion in 1991 (Council on Foreign Relations). China has and still remains Taiwan’s biggest trading partner and approximately a third of all Taiwan’s export products were sold in China. Taiwanese investments in the mainland china are estimated to be $150 billion since 1998. Their excellent economic elation is boosted by an agreement between the two nations to allow insurers and banks to invest in both markets (Council on Foreign Relations). Taiwan’s president, Ma Ying-jeou, has tried to ease tensions with