Chinese Paradox

On January 1st, 1912, Dr. Sun Yat Sen formed the “Republic of China” in Nanjing and was elected its first provisional President.  A couple months later the capitol was established in Beijing.

Shortly after Dr. Sun’s declaration on 1 January, Emperor Puyi abdicated and China saw the beginning of its first republican government.By the early 1920’s, the Communist Party of China was formed and began the revolution which eventually led to the Peoples Republic of China being formed in 1949.

The Nationalists, known as the Kuomingtang Party, escaped with their entire government to Taiwan and established a government-in-exile under their long-time leader Chiang Kai-Shek.  Their legislature included representatives from all the provinces of mainland China as well as the province they occupied, Taiwan.

Since then, the Communists have insisted that Taiwan is “part of China” and the Nationalist Governments in Taiwan have not agreed to “reconciliation.”

A big hoohah has ensued, one side claiming that Taiwan is part of China and the other refusing to join “greater China.”

The younger generation in Taiwan have come to believe that Taiwan is a separate country rather than a province and you can find yourself in a lively discussion if you suggest Taiwan is part of China.

I know one woman from Taiwan who is both proud of her ethnicity (Chinese) and her Nationality (Taiwan aka Republic of China).  Ask her which country she comes from and she will proudly reply, “Taiwan.”  Refer her to her passport which says she’s from the “Republic of China” and she becomes annoyed.  Ask her to identify the flag at the top of this article and she will again say, “Taiwan.”  Point out that this is the flag of the Republic of China since 1912 and again, she gets annoyed.

Confusing the issue with the facts is indeed annoying at times.This “Alice-in-Wonderland” thinking also extends to the US Government which refuses to note her birthplace as “Taiwan” but insists that it is “China.”  (and shows which Chinese Government is really favored or feared by the US Government).

There is a growing nationalist movement in Taiwan which ignores established fact.

By flying the flag of the Republic of China (which was decidedly NOT formed in Taiwan) and having a representative government which includes representatives from provinces on the mainland, Taiwan is saying to the world, and especially to the Beijing Government, “We remain the legitimate government of China.”

This should make it easier to understand why it is so difficult for these to governments to talk to each other.  In order to formally talk to each other, they would have to formally recognize each other.

The legitimate government of the nation of China cannot recognize yet another legitimate government of the nation of China.

The Chinese concept of “face” prevents either one of them from admitting the other is the real government.  

Furthermore, were Taiwan to concede that the Beijing Government is the legitimate government of China, then they truly would become a “renegade province” with all rights, privileges (and most importantly) consequences thereunto pertaining.

The point of this article, however, is just to call attention to the fact that they don’t really disagree about Taiwan being part of China.

What they officially do not agree on is who should be in charge of the entire nation.

At the moment, the Communists control the big piece.

Let’s see what the future brings.