Taiwan crisis
Context
Taiwan showcases most advanced fighter jet after China drills. Taipei has carried out its own drills to simulate defence against invasion by China, and unveiled the F-16V fighter jet.
What is the issue?
As per the PRC, Taiwan's sovereignty belongs to China, the PRC's government and supporters believe that the secession of Taiwan should be agreed upon by all 1.3 billion Chinese citizens instead of just the 23 million residents of Taiwan.
Why in news?
Chinese stand: Taiwan has been governed independently of China since 1949, but Beijing views the island as part of its territory. Beijing has vowed to eventually "unify" Taiwan with the mainland, using force if necessary.
Tensions are rising: Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, whose party platform favours independence, has rebuked Beijing's efforts to undermine democracy. Beijing has ramped up political and military pressure on Taipei.
War situation: Some analysts fear the United States and China could go to war over Taiwan. S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to the island in 2022 heightened tensions between the countries.
Is Taiwan part of China?
One china principle: Beijing asserts that there is only "one China" and that Taiwan is part of it. It views the PRC as the only legitimate government of China, an approach it calls the One-China principle, and seeks Taiwan's eventual "unification" with the mainland.
Chinese claim: Beijing claims that Taiwan is bound by an understanding known as the 1992 Consensus, which was reached between representatives of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Kuomintang (KMT) party that then ruled
Status of Taiwan as member of UN
Taipei protest exclusion: China rejects Taiwan's participation as a member in UN agencies and other international organizations that limit membership to states. Taipei regularly protests its exclusion; the United States also pushes for Taiwan's meaningful participation in such organizations.
Membership of other groups: Taiwan does, however, hold member status in more than forty organizations, most of them regional, such as the Asian Development Bank and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, as well as in the World Trade Organization. It holds observer or other status on several other bodies.
Value addition for mains
An Introduction to Sovereignty: A Case Study of Taiwan examines the key issue of sovereignty and provides an in-depth look at the unique status of Taiwan among nations of the world.
Although Taiwan has control over its internal affairs (domestic sovereignty) and is able to keep outsiders from operating within its borders or influencing internal decisions (Westphalian sovereignty), the island does not have international legal sovereignty, which would confirm its status as an independent country.
Despite lacking the advantages of having international legal sovereigntyincluding the ability to negotiate trade agreements and treaties, among othersTaiwan has evolved into an economic powerhouse and has successfully developed and maintained international relations with many independent countries.
How has China tried to intimidate Taiwan?
Coercion tactics: China has employed a variety of coercive tactics short of armed conflict, and it has ramped up these measures since Tsai's election in 2016. Its objective is to wear down Taiwan and prompt the island's people to conclude that their best option is unification with the mainland.
Military pressure: China has increased the frequency and scale of patrols of PLA bombers, fighter jets, and surveillance aircraft over and around Taiwan. It has also increasingly sailed its warships and aircraft carriers through the Taiwan Strait in shows of force.
What Taiwanese people say?
An increasing number of Taiwanese people feel more closely tied to Taiwan than to the mainland. More than 62 percent of the island's residents regarded themselves as exclusively Taiwanese in 2021.
Opportunity for India
Taiwan's position as a semiconductor superpower opens the door for more intensive strategic-economic cooperation between Delhi and Taipei.
Part of the problem is that India's strategic community continues to view Taiwan as an adjunct to India's "One-China policy".
Conclusion
As Taiwan becomes the world's most dangerous flashpoint, the geopolitical consequences for Asia are real. Although Delhi has embraced the Indo-Pacific maritime construct, it is yet to come to terms with Taiwan's critical role in shaping the strategic future of Asia's waters.
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