The Wisdom of Asia №9

Part Ⅰ：How to Deal with China and America

Chapter Two
What a "State-to-State Relationship" Seeks

     　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Lee Teng-hui

2. From "The Republic of China" to "The Taiwan Republic of China"
　

　　　"The Relationship between Taiwan and China is one of state and　state-at a minimum-a special "state-to-state relationship" was the　statement I made at the interview with the German Public Broadcasting　Company, Deutsche Welles, on July 9, 1999. They asked me the following question, "We very much envy Taiwan's economic success. Taiwan's recent　success in democratization is another matter that gave us a province. But　Communist China threatens Taiwan as a province and relationship between　China and Taiwan remain tense. This is a critical problem. How do you deal　with this crisis?"
　　　It has been my thinking that the relationship across the Taiwan　Strait needs to be considered from two aspects. I have already published an　article clearly stating that "Taiwan is a sovereign state" (Foreign Affairs　October/Noovember 1999, Japanese translation in Ronza, December 1999, by　Asahi Shimbun).
　　　In the article I first stated Taiwan's current position, declaring that　"Taiwan is a state…based on the existence of an overall common　consciousness of being a state," that is, the existence of a Taiwanese identity.　The tension between the two shores is ultimately due to the Taiwanese　people's voice that "relations between Taiwan and China must assume such　form and direction." We must have many different arguments on the question　of  "state-to-state, at a minimum, a special state-to-state relationship." Taiwan　is a sovereign state and, if so, the question is, how should this sovereign state　be established?
　　　When the claim is made that "Taiwan is a republic" or that Taiwan　is that "the Taiwanese are different from the Chinese." Such thinking,　however, is strange, in as much as the Taiwanese are a "Han" (Chinese) race　and are thus ethnically related to the continent.
　　　Historically, Taiwan came under Japanese rule after being　abandoned by China (Ch'ing)and has been under the Republic of China's　rule since the end of the war.
　　　One should engage in serious thinking, examining many cases. The　question of Taiwan's identity, however, is an extremely difficult one which　cannot be solved simply by clinging to the name "the Republic of Taiwan" or　by, declaring "independence."
　　　One explanation is the fact of the gradual Taiwanization following　the transfer of the Republic of China to Taiwan in 1949, that is, "the　Taiwanization of the Republic of China"-Taiwanization is identical with　what I have often sated, namely, "The Republic of China in Taiwan." I have　recently come to call it "The Taiwan Republic of China," thinking it best to　combine the two names.
　　　　The reason for this is that the Republic of China as a state was　founded in 1912 as a result of the Hsinhai Revolution. But the Nationalist　government lost the war to the rebellious Chinese Communist Party, then　moved to Taiwan in 1949 and imposed a military occupation on the island.
Put another way, the Nationalist Party government took hold of Taiwan. In　terms of international law, Taiwan has effectively satisfied the tactical　conditions for being a sovereign state. Some people cite the Potsdam　Declaration or the Cairo Declaration, but they lack accurate legal basis.
　　　Japan clearly gave up Taiwan in the San Francisco Peace Treaty in　1951. The Treaty did not clearly state to whom Japan surrendered Taiwan,　but the Nationalist government has effectively controlled Taiwan over the　years in the form of military occupation. From the standpoint of international　law, Taiwan has to be considered a territory of the Republic of China.
　　　　Of course, the Nationalist government is, in the final analysis, an　external regime. Changing the internal political system is the only way of　rightly connecting the external regime to Taiwan. This internal　organizational system was changed in the 1991 constitutional revision.
　　　　One problem remains even after changing the organizational　system, there has been criticism that the change did not entail changes in the　form of the state, but only changes in electoral structure and procedure and　only for election purposes.
　　　　Despite the criticisms, what we have now is a government　that　sufficiently reflects the will of the people and a president who has been　chosen by the will of the people. The main conditions for a state have all　been met.

"The Wisdom of Asia" Translated by Alexander K. Young 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Akita International Univwrsity Press

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