Joseph Wu, the foreign minister of Taiwan, told DW that Taiwan could provide a model of democracy for China. However, China would need to accept that Taiwan is an "independent political entity" for relations to improve.
Image: DW/W.Yang
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Taiwan FM: 'We haven't accepted the 1992 consensus'
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DW: For 70 years, there have been two governments on either side of the Taiwan Strait. What is your take on current relations between China and Taiwan?
Joseph Wu: The bilateral relationship is difficult to define. China maintains a threatening posture towards Taiwan, while isolating the country from international organizations. At the same time, trade and business relations are closely intertwined. It is a very complicated relationship, and any attempt to present it in a simplified manner would neglect core problems.
However, regardless of relations with China, Taiwan is determined to continue living in a society based on the democratic values that we are continually developing. This is the duty of every government. As Taiwan becomes more democratic, it can also be of significance for the development of China. This is because people in China will see that the current, well-functioning Taiwanese model could be conceivable for China in the future.
In the long term, our democratic system is a guarantee for the healthy development of relations between both sides.
The US broke off formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan 40 years ago and recognized China. Many other nations have since joined the US. Does Taiwan have to adapt its foreign policy principles to this reality?
Taiwan has also fundamentally changed over the past four decades. Today, Taiwan is a political entity that exists independently of China. China must face this fact. This is the basis on which we need to reorient our foreign policy.
The US also recognizes today that the substance of the "One China" policy has changed dramatically [since 1979]. In acknowledging the "One China" policy, the US has never taken a position on the issue of Taiwan's status. Because we are a democracy, the US is currently focused on giving more consideration to the will of the Taiwanese people.
Image: Reuters/S. Lam
How have relations between Washington and Taipei changed since 1979?
The will of the Taiwanese people is as such: We exist independently and we are not a part of any other country. By now, these facts have also been accepted by Washington. We ask that the status quo be recognized. This is also considered by the US to be reasonable and responsible.
This is also true with foreign policy, although this relationship is limited to a large degree [by China]. Constant dialogue is necessary to overcome these limitations and solve problems.
The US hopes that China and Taiwan can peacefully settle differences through dialogue. Is your government willing to enter into talks with Beijing?
We would be happy to sit down and talk to the Chinese government at any time, but without preconditions. Incidentally, Taiwan is not being called upon to begin such talks. Washington knows Taiwan's position very well. However, the US demands that China forgoes its political preconditions for talks, along with the use of violence.
Does this mean you are passively waiting for an offer of talks from Beijing? Are you also being proactive?
For talks like this to happen in the first place, Beijing must drop its preconditions for dialogue and not expect a fixed outcome. Without these conditions being met, the Taiwanese people will not agree to talks. We have already done everything possible. We call all members of the international community, who seek peace on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, to persuade China to drop unfair conditions for dialogue.
Joseph Wu is the foreign minister of Taiwan.
This interview was conducted by Phoebe Kong.
China and Taiwan: Best enemies?
Chinese President Xi recently called for a "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan, prompting criticism from Taipei. What is the "Taiwan issue" all about? DW explores the history of the conflict through these photographs.
Image: AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Recapturing vs. liberation
After the end of WWII, the Communist Party of China (CPC) under Mao Zedong pursued a fierce battle against his archrival Chiang Kai-shek, chief of the Kuomintang (KMT) party. Chiang lost and took refuge in the island of Taiwan. For some time after that, Taiwan was the center of propaganda from both sides. The CPC wanted to "liberate" Taiwan, while Kuomintang wanted to "recapture the mainland."
Image: AFP/Getty Images
Letters to 'compatriots'
In the 1950s, the CPC published four "Messages to Chinese compatriots" in Taiwan, which are considered the basis of Beijing's Taiwan policy. In these texts, Beijing warned Taiwan of collaborating with US "imperialists." Military confrontation, particularly artillery attacks, also continued during this time.
Image: Imago/Zuma/Keystone
Beijing replaces Taipei in UN bodies
In 1971, the United Nations General Assembly declared that the People's Republic of China was the sole lawful representative of the country. With this decision, the Republic of China (ROC)/Taiwan was removed from all UN bodies. The frustration of ROC's foreign minister, Chow Shu-kai (right), and his ambassador Liu Chieh is easy to see in this picture.
Image: Imago/ZUMA/Keystone
New Taiwan policy
The fifth and last "message" from Beijing to Taiwan was published on January 1, 1979. The mainland, under the leadership of the reformist Deng Xiaoping ended military operations, announced the development of bilateral ties and promised peaceful reunification. However, Beijing's right to represent China internationally was not to be questioned.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/UPI
'One China' policy
The new orientation of China's Taiwan policy took place as Washington and Beijing got closer. On January 1, 1979, the US and China resumed diplomatic relations, with Washington under President Jimmy Carter recognizing Beijing as the sole legitimate government of the whole of China. The US embassy in Taiwan was remodeled into an institute for culture.
Image: AFP/AFP/Getty Images
'One China, two systems'
Even before meeting US President Carter, Deng Xiaoping had introduced the principle of "one country, two systems," which allowed Taiwan to maintain its social systems even after reunification. However, Taiwan's President Chiang Ching-Kuo did not immediately fall for it. On the contrary, in 1987 he formulated the principle of "one China for the better system."
Image: picture-alliance/Everett Collection
The independence movement
In 1986, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Taiwan's first opposition party, was founded. At a meeting in 1991, the DPP declared a clause for Taiwan's independence, which stipulated that Taiwan was sovereign and not a part of China.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/S. Yeh
'Consensus of 1992'
In unofficial Hong Kong talks in 1992, representatives of Taipei and Beijing reached a political agreement on the nature of their relationship. Both parties agreed that there was only one China. However, they had different views on what "One China" meant. A year later, the chief negotiators Wang (left) and Koo met in Singapore.
Image: Imago/Xinhua
Bilateral relations
In an interview with DW in 1995, the first democratically elected President of Taiwan and the KMT leader Lee Teng-hui said that all relations beyond the straits of Taiwan would be "defined as relations between states; at the very least, as a relationship of a special kind between states." His formulation was very close to being a declaration of independence.
Image: Academia Historica Taiwan
'A state on every side'
The DPP won the presidential election for the first time in 2000 with Chen Shui-bian, a Taiwanese-born politician who had no connections to mainland China, calling for "a state on each side." It meant that Taiwan should have nothing to do with China anymore. In 2005, Beijing reacted with the Anti-Secession Law, which allowed the use of military force in the event that Taiwan declared independence.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/Jerome Favre
'One China, different interpretations'
After losing the elections in 2000, the KMT adopted a changed formulation of the "Consensus of 1992" in the party's statute, which called for "one China, different interpretations." That is why the 1992 Consensus is still debated in Taiwan. The reason: the negotiators of 1992 did not have an official position.
Image: Imago/ZumaPress
CPC meets KMT
The mainland adopted the "Consensus of 1992" as a political basis for creating a relationship with Taiwan. In the first summit between the two sides since the communists came to power in China, Hu Jintao (right) and Lian Zhan endorsed the "Consensus of 1992" and the "One China" principle.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Reynolds
'The direction is correct'
After KMT's Ma Ying-Jeou won the 2008 presidential elections, both sides continued to come closer. In an interview with DW in 2009, Ma said: "The straits of Taiwan should be a place of peace and security. We have come a lot closer to this goal. Basically our direction is correct."
Image: GIO
Quo vadis?
After the elections in 2016, when President Tsai Ing-wen came to power, the independence movement gained a lot of wind. Tsai disputed the existence of the 1992 consensus and described the "attempt of China to interfere in the political and social development of Taiwan" as the "biggest challenge."
