“those saying Taiwan isn’t part of China : both the ROC and the PRC state that it is and that they are the rightful government.”
You need a new calendar. It’s not 1950.
Taiwan does not claim that.
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You’re first paragraph was well stated and a good analysis I agree with.
I appreciate your viewpoint, but I will have to disagree. While the Taiwan view on the policy has evolved since the 1990s the one china policy is still the official policy and was actually reaffirmed in a public referendum in 2004 that also rejected a new constitution. I support my argument with the following:
A congressional policy statement issued in 2014 on the subject:
https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL30341.pdf
including the following phrase in the summary : “Taiwan calls itself the Republic of China (ROC) and does not recognize the PRC.” and includes discussion of the 2004 refrendums where 55% of voters chose to maintain the 1 china policy on pages 12-14.
One explanation here the the policy is still in effect:
https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2017/03/14/what-is-the-one-china-policy
Another from 2017 explaining the impact of Panama and Trump on changing 1-china stances and including the phrase “From the Chinese perspective, that policy is non-negotiable.”:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/06/13/what-is-one-china-policy/102806774/
Another more rudimentary article on the topic:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-China_policy#Policy_position_in_the_ROC
Policy position in the ROC[edit]
Exit and Entry Permit issued by ROC, to PRC citizen who wants to enter Taiwan.
The only official statement of the ROC on its interpretation of the One-China Principle dates back to 1 August 1992. At that time, the National Unification Council of the ROC expressed the ROC’s interpretation of the principle as:[23]
The two sides of the Strait have different opinions as to the meaning of “one China.” To Beijing, “one China” means “the People’s Republic of China (PRC),” with Taiwan to become a “Special Administrative Region” after unification. Taipei, on the other hand, considers “one China” to mean the Republic of China (ROC), founded in 1912 and with de jure sovereignty over all of China. The ROC, however, currently has jurisdiction only over Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. Taiwan is part of China, and the Chinese mainland is part of China as well.
Since 1949, China has been temporarily divided, and each side of the Taiwan Strait is administered by a separate political entity. This is an objective reality that no proposal for China’s unification can overlook.
In February 1991, the government of the Republic of China, resolutely seeking to establish consensus and start the process of unification, adopted the “Guidelines for National Unification”. This was done to enhance the progress and well-being of the people, and the prosperity of the nation. The ROC government sincerely hopes that the mainland authorities will adopt a pragmatic attitude, set aside prejudices, and cooperate in contributing its wisdom and energies toward the building of a free, democratic and prosperous China.
However, political consensus and public opinion in Taiwan has evolved since 1992. There is significant difference between each faction’s recognition for and understanding of the One China principle. The Pan-Blue Coalition parties, consisting of the Kuomintang, the People First Party, and the New Party, accept the One China principle. In particular, former President of the Republic of China, Ma Ying-jeou, stated in 2006 when he was the Kuomintang chairman that “One China is the Republic of China”. Until the 1990s, the government actively stated that the ROC is the only legitimate “One China” while the PRC is illegitimate.
The Pan-Green Coalition parties, consisting of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Taiwan Solidarity Union, are more hostile to the policy, as they view Taiwan as a country separate from China. The former ROC President, Chen Shui-bian of the DPP, regards acceptance of the “One China” principle as capitulation to the PRC, and prefers to view it as nothing more than a topic for discussion, in opposition to the PRC’s insistence that the “One China” principle is a prerequisite for any negotiation.
When the Republic of China established diplomatic relations with Kiribati in 2003 the ROC officially declared that Kiribati could continue to have diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. Despite the declaration, however, all countries maintaining official ties with Taipei continue to recognize the ROC as the sole legitimate government of China.[24]
The ROC does not recognize or stamp PRC passports. Instead, Chinese residents visiting Taiwan and other territory under ROC jurisdiction must use a Exit and Entry Permit issued by the ROC authorities.
There are others reaffirming the current official statements of the ROC government, and I will admit that it is not as hard a stance as it once was among the general population on the island...however it is the official stance.