The Daily China and Taiwan: A Torrid Backstory
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Apr 17, 2023 Edward Wong, a diplomatic correspondent for The New York Times, dives deep into the complexities of U.S.-China relations, examining why China is fixated on Taiwan. He unpacks the historical roots of this tension, tracing back to the civil war in the 1940s. Wong discusses recent military drills by China following Taiwan's president's U.S. visit and highlights the significance of U.S.-Taiwan ties. He also reflects on the concept of strategic ambiguity in U.S. foreign policy and Taiwan's struggle for legitimacy in the face of aggressive maneuvers from Beijing.
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Nationalists' Retreat to Taiwan
- The Chinese Civil War ended with the Nationalists fleeing mainland China for Taiwan in 1949.
- They brought cultural artifacts and established a government-in-exile, claiming to be the legitimate China.
Two Chinas
- Both the Nationalist government in Taiwan and the Communist government in mainland China claimed to be the real China.
- The U.S. initially recognized Taiwan due to Cold War tensions and the goal of containing communism.
US Policy Shift
- The U.S. shifted recognition to communist China in 1979, aiming to improve relations and potentially influence the Vietnam War.
- Nixon's visit to China in 1972 marked a pivotal moment in this shift.