Looking at the issue of sovereignty, it is evident that sovereignty is a political concern, yet there are many emotional kinship with the idea of sovereignty. When people see others saluting a flag, singing the national anthem, or boasting about their identity, what kind of emotional effect does this have on them? Is there a difference between saying someone is from “Taiwan” or from mainland “China”? A lot of this happens on a visceral level, an emotional level. Many of the emotional investments that go into the idea of sovereignty may be understandable, yet to others it may seem insignificant. The issue of sovereignty is experienced by people, inhabited by their consciousness, and understood through their perspective. Although these parts may seem irrational and exaggerated, it often is not exaggerated for these people. When we focus on Taiwan, we see a strong sense of the emotional effect of sovereignty as one distinguish themselves as “ Taiwanese” or “Chinese”. Furthermore, this spread of globalization has impacted many different nations’ sense of ownership over themselves. When analyzing Taiwan, we see how globalization can impact a given nation’s sense of individual identity, and perhaps can also impact how they react to global forces internally and how they react to other nations.
Looking at the relationship of Taiwan and Mainland China, a core issue has been one of sovereignty, whether Taiwan is an independent country or part of mainland China. This idea since the 1990s, has been centered on the “extent to which Beijing does, or should, possess sovereignty over Taiwan and the status Taiwan should possess within the international arena” (Kastner). Here, this debate consist of polar views from opposing sides. While one nation believes they are a free and individual country, the other claims to hold power over it. This causes discrepancy between the national identity of the citizens of Taiwan, strengthening the emotional national separation of the citizens as they claim themselves to be a citizen of a different country. According to BCC News, Taiwan is profiled as “an island which has for all practical purposes been independent since 1950,” (“Taiwan Country Profile”). However, when we look at the view of the Chinese communist government, China regards Taiwan as a a rebel region that must be reunited with the mainland. Not only does the chinese government want to enforce this idea, but they are willing to control this region by force if necessary. This strong belief of China that Taiwan is part of the mainland has made them claim sovereignty over Taiwan ever since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. This internal conflict between the two nations have increased the nationalism in the people of Taiwan, in which they believe they are not under the control of Mainland China, but a free nation under their own democracy; Clearly, the spread of globalization, it has impacted many different nations’ sense of ownership over themselves.
This controversy of sovereignty between China and Taiwan has been debated ever since, and is a main component to the Taiwanese strong sense of sovereignty and individualism. The people of Taiwan see a strong separation in terms of their national identity with Mainland China. “Taiwan is a modern, sovereign nation. There is no doubt that Taiwan is a sovereign state, but it has yet to become a normal one,” (“Taiwan Is a Modern, Sovereign Nation”). This engagement between the two nations only strengthens the prejudicial sense of nationalism to the Taiwanese people, in which they see themselves as a completely different set of population from the Chinese. One of the prerequisites to this separation would be to first “abandon the name ‘The Republic of China’(ROC) in favor of ‘Taiwan,’” (“Taiwan Is a Modern, Sovereign Nation”). Here, we see a strong set of views favouring the absolute separation of Taiwan and China. The people of Taiwan clearly have a strong sense of nationalism, where they feel proud to be from Taiwan, a nation they believe that is separated from China.
The taiwanese people see a great difference between their identity and the chinese identity and possess strong national identity and patriotism. From a Taipei Times article, we can see a strong sense of emotional connection with the nation’s claim for sovereignty. It is discernible that this author sees a clear separation with being associated with “Taiwan” or with “China”. To the people of Taiwan, there is a certain character behind this identity: they do not want to be characterized as “Chinese” and feel pride from being a separate nation, from being “Taiwanese”. This concern shows how sovereignty is inherently connected to this nation’s sense of nationalism.This strong sense of emotional connection with their sovereignty is something that the citizens treasure and value. Just as one would identify themselves as “Canadian” or “American”, the people of Taiwan see a great difference behind these two identities and posses an evident strong national identity and patriotism. Moreover, this emotional aspect to sovereignty and nationalism enhances a self dominance and shapes the perception of a nation's unique national identity.
With the spread of globalization, countries are becoming more distinguished as they characterize themselves in certain ways to be unique in the market. When looking at this high sense of nationalism and connecting it to the globalization of the market, we can see a linkage between the two. Through this spread of globalization, it has impacted many different nations’ sense of ownership over themselves. No two countries want to blend in together, but instead they want to distinguish themselves. Taiwan, is one example of this situation. Through the spread of globalization, There are many distinction even with the two nations’ political office. Taiwan and China differ in numerous ways from just looking at how the government is run: Taiwan upholds democracy and political freedom. “China, on the contrary, has recently ushered in an era of increased authoritarianism after Xi Jinping took office,” (Yao). This difference in how the government is run is one of the major reasons why there is such a high emotional effect of sovereignty for the people in Taiwan. They do not characterize themselves under a communist party but under democracy. “Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country,” (Yao). Freedom, democracy, and the rule of law are the core values for the people of Taiwan. When we look at an article by the Seattle times in March 2018, we also see how Taiwan is currently not accepting any political claims under coercion (Yao). This shows the effects of globalization over a nation's sense of ownership over themselves and how this can shape how they react to other nations. In this case, Taiwan refuses to be identified as being one with China and continues to debate over this issue politically. Taiwan contests for their independence and claims a separation from Mainland China. They show an ambivalence of pride on their democratic system and stress for the distinction between the two nations’ government.
Due to the abundant economic power that China holds in the market, Taiwan is at great loss with the formal diplomatic ties that they hold. As generations have passed, China has become a major economic power through globalization and has shifted to a market-based economy that has experienced rapid economic and social development with GDP growth averaged “nearly 10 percent a year” (“The World Bank in China”). This GDP growth is the fastest sustained expansion by a major economy in history. However, China insists that nations cannot have official relations with both China and Taiwan. This limits the diplomatic ties Taiwan is able to make deals with due to the major economic power that China holds. Many nations rely on their connections with the Chinese market, resulting in great loss with formal diplomatic ties that Taiwan holds. However, despite this diplomatic isolation, Taiwan remains its diplomatic ties with the United States and “has become one of Asia's big traders (...) becoming one of the world's top producers of computer technology,” (“The World Bank in China”). This economic miracle serves as the nation's pride for the sovereignty of their nation, where they are able to achieve an international market that allows their innovation to spread through globalization.
Through the spread of globalization, international trade has become something that global economies run on; however, these trade deals worsen income inequality, and in many cases benefit big conglomerates. However, although international trade can spread effectiveness of production as well as diversity in cultures, it also has an undermining effect on a nation's sovereignty. When trade deals are formed, such as the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), there is a promise of cheaper goods for consumers in wealthier countries such as the United States. However, according to Adams, wages for most workers in such countries are “likely to stagnate, and some in low-end industries will lose their jobs” (Adams). This kind of effect of globalization only creates tension in the nations who cannot produce at such rates. Since China holds a plethora of economic power in the market, these deals only strike the emotional sense of sovereignty of nations such as Taiwan. Such trade deals will worsen income inequality, and in many cases benefit big conglomerates and “put many Taiwanese out of work” where “the two sides commit to scrapping most tariffs over the next decade,” (Adams). These international trade effects increase the already existing tension between the two nations and “ allow Taiwan's sovereignty to be hurt,”(Adams). Since Taiwan is a nation that is highly affected by many globalisation effects of China, this only increases the citizens’ emotions for their national identity, where they completely dispute being called a nation under China.
Due to the threat of individualism created through the spread of globalism, it is clear that many of the strongest advocates of a more assertive Taiwanese sovereignty view economic integration with alarm. They see this as the potential to undermine Taiwanese independence (Kastner). Though the works of globalization, we see how there is much economic integration as countries work together and trade internationally. However, such works have only increased tension between Taiwan and China. The Taiwanese people see this as a possible threat to their nationality. They see no relationship with their identity to China and in fact, see a great distinction between the two. Such economic interdependence with Taiwan and China only set more barriers in each countries emotional connection with the sovereignty of their state. We see an increased emotional connection with citizens over the sovereignty of their nation through this kind of globalization.
Through examining these effects of globalization on Taiwan, we see great evidence on how it creates more emotional sovereignty as they declare themselves independently as Taiwan. These events of debate and advancement reflect Taiwan’s personal perception of their sovereignty and how it is threatened by globalization. One of which is the emotional effects further causing strains between Taiwan and China and their cultural sovereignty. We see how globalization can give a nation more sense of ownership over themselves, and how it can also impact the way they react to global forces or to other nations. Although we see this debate on the independence of Taiwan carried on through many generations, we see how through such works of globalization, the emotional appeal on sovereignty for these people have only gotten stronger.
Adams, Jonathan. “In Taiwan, an Old-Fashioned Globalization Debate.” Public Radio
International, www.pri.org/stories/2010-05-23/taiwan-old-fashioned-globalization-debate.
Kastner, Scott L. “International Relations Theory and the Relationship across the Taiwan Strait.”
International Journal of Taiwan Studies, vol. 1, no. 1, 2018, pp. 161–183.,
doi:10.1163/24688800-00101009.
“Taiwan Country Profile.” BBC News, BBC, 9 Jan. 2018,
www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-16164639.
“Taiwan Is a Modern, Sovereign Nation.” UNPO: Taiwan Is a Modern, Sovereign Nation, Taipei
Times, 2014, unpo.org/article/1410?id=1410.
“The World Bank in China.” World Bank, 2018, www.worldbank.org/en/country/china/overview.
Yao, Vincent. “A Sovereign Taiwan Will Not Accept China’s Coercion.” The Seattle Times, The
Seattle Times Company, 2018, www.seattletimes.com/author/vincent-c-h-yao/.
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