Questions | Syracuse | Chinese Communities

China Divided: The Status of Taiwan

Document 4

Vocabulary

Reaffirmed: Restate, declared again.
Normalization: To bring into a state of relieved tensions.
Province: Division of a country.

"… The two sides reviewed the long-standing serious disputes between China and the United States. The Chinese reaffirmed its position: The Taiwan question is the crucial question obstructing the normalization of relations between China and the United States; the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government of China; Taiwan is a province of China which has long been returned to the motherland; the liberation of Taiwan is China's internal affair in which no other country has the right to interfere; and all U.S. forces and military installations must be withdrawn from Taiwan. The Chinese Government firmly opposes any activities which aim at the creation of 'one China, one Taiwan,' 'one China, two governments,' 'two Chinas,' an 'independent Taiwan' or advocate that 'the status of Taiwan remains to be determined.'

"The U.S. side declared: The United States acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China. The United States Government does not challenge that position. It reaffirms its interest in a peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question by the Chinese themselves.

With this prospect in mind, it affirms the ultimate objective of the withdrawal of all U.S. forces and military installations from Taiwan. In the meantime, it will progressively reduce its forces and military installations on Taiwan as the tension in the area diminishes …"

Document 4: Excerpt from the Joint U.S.-China Communique, February 27, 1972, known as the Shanghai Communique. Entire text is available online at http://www.sinomania.com/CHINANEWS/shanghai_communique_30th_anniversary.htm

Document 4 Short-Answer Questions

1. What is the position of the People’s Republic of China regarding Taiwan?
2. What Chinese position does the U.S. say it does not challenge?
3. Who does the U.S. say must settle the Taiwan question?
4. What adjective does the U.S. use regarding the settlement of the Taiwan question – in other words, how does the U.S. want the issue to be resolved?

Document 3 | Document 5

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