When I post this blog, I will have returned to America safely after a two-week GIP trip to Taiwan.
As my travel mates and I prepared for our trip to Taiwan, news of the People's Liberation Army Eastern Command conducting military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, the northern, southern, and eastern parts of Taiwan, showed up on my Apple News feed on May 23rd. China began "punishment" drills around Taiwan, claiming it was a reaction to "separatist acts." Heavily armed warplanes were deployed, and mock attacks were staged while China's state media criticized newly inaugurated President Lai Ching-te. A few of us feared that we might not be able to travel to Taiwan, but I feared that if we did go, China would invade Taiwan while we were there. I couldn't shake the image of Chinese warships advancing toward Taiwan, the headlines blaring on our phones, and our trip abruptly cut short by the chaos of an international crisis.
I asked my father about the possibility of China invading Taiwan while we were there. He explained that the likelihood is very low. He pointed out that June is not the ideal month for invasion because it is the beginning of the typhoon season in the region, and China's army needs optimal conditions for a large-scale military operation. Additionally, June is crucial for harvesting many crops in China, and diverting resources for a military operation could negatively impact the economy. He also mentioned that, in the event of an invasion, American citizens would be evacuated first to U.S. military bases in Japan. My mother, always cautious, had already checked the U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory website, which currently lists Taiwan as "Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions." Both assured me that Taiwan is currently safe for travelers.
A deeper examination of the Taiwan-China conflict reveals its origins dating back to the Qing Dynasty in the 17th century. The Qing Dynasty expanded China's territory to its greatest extent, incorporating Taiwan, Mongolia, Tibet, and parts of Central Asia into its domain. In 1885, Taiwan was declared a province of the Qing Empire. Following the First Sino-Japanese War, the Qing Dynasty ceded Taiwan to Japan. This event marked the beginning of fifty years of Japanese colonial rule. At the end of World War II in 1945, Japan surrendered Taiwan to the Allied forces, placing the island under the administrative control of the Republic of China (ROC) led by the Kuomintang (KMT). The Chinese Civil War then intensified between the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), culminating in 1949 with the CCP establishing the People's Republic of China (PRC) on the mainland while the KMT retreated to Taiwan, maintaining the ROC government there. During the Cold War era, both the ROC in Taiwan and the PRC on the mainland claimed to be the legitimate government of China, leading to divided international recognition. Initially, the United States recognized the ROC, but in 1979, it switched recognition to the PRC while continuing unofficial relations with Taiwan through the Taiwan Relations Act, committing to help Taiwan maintain its self-defense capabilities. Since then, relations between China and Taiwan have been tense, with periodic escalations in military activity and diplomatic standoffs. The PRC continues to assert its claim over Taiwan, while Taiwan, operating as a de facto independent state, seeks to maintain its sovereignty and democratic governance.
Although this is my first time visiting Taiwan, it is not the first time I've heard about the Taiwan-China conflict. Taiwan was where my great-grandfather sought refuge after fleeing China during the Cultural Revolution when his family was persecuted for being part of China's upper middle class and having ties with the Kuomintang (KMT). My great grandfather, Xie Yingzhou, served as the president of the Supreme Court in 1948 and remained president of the Supreme Court in Taiwan until 1966. He then served as the vice president of the Judicial Yuan until he died in 1972. Growing up, I heard many stories about the KMT and the ongoing conflict between China and Taiwan through my grandfather's accounts. His experiences and the stories of perseverance have profoundly shaped my understanding of this complex historical and political landscape.
Visiting Taiwan is bittersweet, knowing that my great-grandparents lived here and seeing the Fuhsing students we once hosted in America again. While I would have liked to visit my great-grandfather and great-grandmother's final resting place, I don't want to inconvenience my host family with such a personal request. Someday, we will return to Taiwan as a family to pay our respects, honor my ancestors, and explore the land that holds so much significance for me.
Sources
"General Information on Taiwan." Taiwan Government, https://taiwan.gov.tw/content_3.php. Accessed 15 June 2024.
"Taiwan and China: What is Behind the Tensions?" BBC News, 7 Jan. 2022, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-59900139. Accessed 16 June 2024.
Wingfield-Hayes, Rupert. "Why Taiwan is at the Heart of a Geopolitical Struggle." BBC News, 17 Jan. 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd11n49enz2o. Accessed 17 June 2024.
Yang, Dominic Meng-Hsuan. "The Taiwan Strait Conflict." Origins, The Ohio State University, May 2022, https://origins.osu.edu/read/taiwan-strait-conflict?language_content_entity=en. Accessed 16 June 2024.
"謝瀛洲." Wikipedia, 17 June 2024, https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%AC%9D%E7%80%9B%E6%B4%B2. Accessed 17 June 2024.
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