Why in the News?

On 14^th October 2024, China launched military exercises, named Operation Joint Sword 24B, involving ships and aircraft near Taiwan, following Taiwan’s National Day celebration on 10^th October.

Brief History of China-Taiwan Relations

• 1949: Kuomintang (KMT) relocated to Taiwan after losing the Chinese Civil War.
• 1975: Martial law was lifted, initiating democratic reforms in Taiwan.
• 1990s: Relations between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Republic of China (RoC) improved through trade.
• 1999: Taiwan rejected the "One China, Two Systems" proposal offered by China.
• 2000: The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won its first presidential election, challenging KMT's dominance.
• 2004: China passed an anti-secession law targeting Taiwan, despite ongoing trade ties.
• 2016-present: Tsai Ing-Wen's presidency saw a surge in pro-independence sentiments in Taiwan.
• Taiwan's economy remains closely tied to China, creating political divisions between pro-independence DPP and pro-reunification KMT factions.

About One China Two Systems (OCTS)

• Proposed by China to unify Taiwan, but Taiwan rejected the model.
• Successfully applied during the return of Hong Kong (1997) and Macau (1999) to Chinese control.
• Under the OCTS, both Hong Kong and Macau became Special Administrative Regions (SARs), retaining their own legal and economic systems.
• China manages their defense and foreign policy, while they enjoy relative freedom of speech, assembly, and democratic rights under the Basic Law.