Answers for the 'Taiwan Question'

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has pushed the world to consider the future of Taiwan. It also calls in question the United States' commitment to defend Taiwan in a similar situation.

- GUNJAN SINGH

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has pushed the world to consider the future of Taiwan. It also calls in question the United States' commitment to defend Taiwan in a similar situation. In The Taiwan Story: How a Small Island Will Dictate the Global Future, Kerry Brown tries to look for answers for the "Taiwan Question". He concludes that given that two of the major stakeholders (China and the US) possess nuclear capabilities, any misstep can lead to large-scale damage. Thus, Dr Brown asserts that, "Everyone is a stakeholder in the Taiwan issue. Everyone needs to do what they can to preserve at least some level of stability."

Taiwan, as Dr Brown points out, is no longer a regional issue. With the rise of Xi Jinping and the idea of the "rejuvenation of the Chinese nation", Taiwan has become crucial for Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) legitimacy too. "Rejuvenation", in the CCP's view, can be achieved only through reunification. For Mr Xi and the CCP, Taiwan is a renegade province that must return to the fold of the motherland, ignoring the fact that this very island is home to 23 million people. These people acknowledge that they are "Taiwanese" and lack any major bond or understanding of what it means to be Chinese.