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Taiwan Strait: An Aching Suture between the Mainland China and the Taiwan Island --- A study of the Identity of Taiwanese Youth

Weiyn WangPowerpoint presentation

Borders in Globalization _________________________________Research Project 55

Taiwan Strait: An Aching Suture between the Mainland China and the Taiwan Island

--- A study on the identity of youth Taiwanese

Weiyu Wang Department of Political Science

Background: the Taiwan Strait as an aching suture

1945 1949

Military Conflicts

Since 1950s

- White Terror (228 Incident)

- Martial Law

KMT Authoritarian

The People’s Republic of China in mainland The Republic of China in Taiwan Island

Background: the Taiwan Strait as an aching suture

Co-operation

Democratic Transformation

KMT Authoritarian

-  Lift martial law -  Dangwai

Campaign

- White Terror (228 Incident)

- Martial Law

Since 1990s Since 1950s

Chinese identity: - Degrades from the majority identity to the minority identity

Taiwanese identity: - Surges from the minority identity to the dominated identity

Dual identity: - lost its dominance since 1950s

Youth Taiwanese: 90s generation - Remarkable growth of the Taiwanese Identity

§  National identities and borders (a process of “othering”)

§  Landscape and identity §  Policy and identity

Research Question: policy, border and identity since 1990s

Conceptualizations of the Strait

the Taiwanese identity among Youth Taiwanese

Strait

Identity XX    XXXX  XX    XXXXXX  

XXXXXX

Policy  

Theory: Legal status of Taiwan

Mobility Control

De-Sinicization Policy in everyday life

Legal status of Taiwan

Mobility Control

De-Sinicization Policy in everyday life

Findings: Taiwan’s legal status with “One China” Policy §  Taiwan as a “Free ”Province

A"er  the  country  is  reunified  peacefully，  Taiwan  may  prac8ce  systems  different  from  those  on  the  mainland  and  enjoy  a  high  degree  of  autonomy.  

---- Anti-Secession Law

－ The PRC The PRC identified Taiwan as a Province, but also a free zone, a “foreign area within its territory”(jingwai).

•  The constitution of the Republic of China •  president selection

Rights and obligations between the people of the Chinese mainland area and those of the free area, and the disposition of other related affairs may be specified by law.

----Addi8onal  Ar8cles  of  the  Cons8tu8on  of  The  Republic  of  China    

§  International Status － the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758

“restore all its rights to the People’s Republic of China and to recognize the representatives of its Governments as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations, and to expel forthwith the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek from the place which they unlawfully occupy at the United Nations and in all the organizations related to it.”

----Addi8onal  Ar8cles  of  the  Cons8tu8on  of  The  Republic  of  China  

－ Chinese Taipei Political identity of Taiwan in international or regional organization, such as APEC、OECD、WHA、ICAO

－ The ROC With the policy of “the ROC is Taiwan”, Taiwan has established its own political system, including:

Conclusion  I:  The   par8cularity   of   Taiwan   demonstrated   by  legal   documents   from   the   both   sides  conceptualize   ”China”   as   a   poli8cal   term  rather   than   a   cultural,   historical   concept   for  most  youth  Taiwanese,  portraying  the  strait  as  a   clear   demarca8on   between   two   different  poli8cal   environment.   Moreover,   Taiwan’s  diploma8c   crisis   caused   by   the   interna8onal  recogni8on   of   the   PRC   increase   the   poli8cal  prejudice   and   resentment   among   youth  Taiwanese,   which   would   inevitably   facilitate  their  poli8cal  iden8fica8on  with  Taiwan.  

Conclusion  II:  Conclusion  II:  

Legal status of Taiwan

Mobility Control

De-Sinicization Policy in everyday life

Findings: a zone of insecurity and inconvenience

§ Military Conflicts -  Third Taiwan Strait Crisis (1995-1996) The PRC’s response to Taiwanese’s 1996 president election

-  Anti-Secession Law in the PRC: “the state shall employ non-peaceful means and other necessary measures to protect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”

§  Mobility Control Mainland

residents

Pass Mainland Residents to Taiwan

Exit & Entry Permit (Taiwan, Republic of China)

Visa

7-10 business days

15 Days

Taiwan

residents 7 business days Mainland travel permit for Taiwan residents

Visa

Passport (Taiwan)

90 Days

Canada America New Zealand Japan Australia, Europe….

161 country: Visa-free / Visa-on arrival

180 Days

90 Days 90 Days

90 Days

Conclusion  II:  Taiwan   Strait   is   s8ll   delineated   as   a   insecure  and   inconvenient   zone   for   youth   Taiwanese.  And  this  insecure  image  is  embedded  in  young  genera8ons  with  their  growth.  The  barriers  to  their   mobiliza8on   between   mainland   and  Taiwan  has  pushed  them  away  from  the  strait,  and   facilitated   their  social   iden8fica8on  with  Taiwan.    

Conclusion  II:  

Conclusion  II:  

Legal status of Taiwan

Mobility Control

De-Sinicization Policy in everyday life

Findings: de-Sinicization policy in everyday life

§  Education Policies -  Educational principles:

-  School Education:

facilitate the localized education, instill the ”new Taiwanese” identity

=>Move the Chinese history into world history

=>Change the words denoting the unification =>Define the “our country” as Taiwan

-  Exchange Student program

§ Control of the New Media

Facebook Line Twitter

Mainland Taiwan Weibo Wechat QQ

Information of Mainland

51.72% negative

6.21% positive

37.24% neutral Quality

Conclusion  III:  Educated   in   the   new   localized   educa8on  system,   youth   Taiwanese   was   ins8lled   into  more  consensus  on  Taiwan  culture.  Moreover,  due  to  the  control  of   the  new  media,   limited  communica8on  between  youth  from  the  two  sides  can  be  accomplished.  This  lack  of  mutual  understanding,   especially   young   Taiwanese’s  wrong   understanding   of  mainland,   as  well   as  increasingly   different   cultural   environment,  have   nurtured   youth’s   cultural   and   social  iden8fica8on  with  Taiwan  through  their  daily  life.  

Conclusion  II:  Conclusion  II:  

•  Use traditional Chinese characters •  Use different “pinyin” •  Add new courses of Taiwan History, Taiwan Geography, Taiwan Literature •  Revise the textbooks

60% small

33% average

7% large Amount

Conclusions: growth of the Taiwanese identity of youth

Conclusion  III:  Educated   in   the   new   localized   educa8on  system,   youth   Taiwanese   was   ins8lled   into  more  consensus  on  Taiwan  culture.  Moreover,  due  to  the  control  of   the  new  media,   limited  communica8on  between  youth  from  the  two  sides  can  be  accomplished.  This  lack  of  mutual  understanding,   especially   young   Taiwanese’s  wrong   understanding   of  mainland,   as  well   as  increasingly   different   cultural   environment,  have   nurtured   youth’s   cultural   and   social  iden8fica8on  with  Taiwan  through  their  daily  life.  

Conclusion  II:  Conclusion  II:  Legal status of Taiwan Political identification with Taiwan

Mobility control Social and cultural identification

with Taiwan Localized education

The new media control

Though the cooperation and traditional culture tries to seam the two sides, the practical implications of their policies have depicted the strait as an unhealed suture that delimitate the two shores, and facilitate the growth of the Taiwanese identity among youth in Taiwan.