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Nous du Collège - N 292 - Février 2020 Kaléidoscope scolaire 33
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War or Peace?

Hong Kong and Taiwan Resist

his summer, I interned at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and conducted
Tresearch on various topics including the Sino-Taiwanese tensions.
Writing policy memos and talking points on this topic made me realize
the importance of Asia in determining the future of international
relations, a field I aim to work in.

“We were innocent citizens, passengers on the
way home,” said a 58-year-old man to describe the
dreadful attack that occurred at a Hong Kong train
station. Chaos, it was everywhere. He held his son’s officials from the U.S and Taiwan meeting for the first
trembling hand. “We are now angry victims who time in nearly four decades, military and diplomatic
do not want to go home anymore,” he shouted actions are important, and Trump’s intentions are
before joining the protests. The voices that initially clear. As China’s warnings and threats continue to
rose against the extradition bill and now continue be ignored, we need to realize that “we’re inching
to be raised for democracy also colored the walls closer and closer to Beijing’s redline” (Derek
of Taiwan universities, reinforcing the tensions Grossman), and that Taiwan’s next leader will
between the island and the mainland. determine the direction of cross-strait ties.
In fact, protests in Hong Kong, perceived by many Unfortunately, Hong Kong’s reaction to China’s ‘One
as a pseudo-Taiwan, could determine the island’s Country, Two Systems’ approach has influenced
next moves, like a chess piece in the U.S.-China the Taiwanese, likely to re-elect president Tsai
dangerous game, towards either war or peace. Ing-Wen from the Democratic Progressive Party.
This scenario will lead to tensions, economic and
I have lived war through the memories of parents. diplomatic confrontations, as well as a frightening
I have never lived peace though, a truce yes, but chance of armed conflict. With both U.S. and China
never peace and prosperity. However, believe in in possession of nuclear weapons, and with Taiwan
changes. I am witnessing change in my own country heavily dependent on China’s market, an urgent
with the ongoing protests. Peace and war reflect decision needs to be made.
a fascinating network of diplomatic interactions.
The recent trilateral relationship between the U.S, In this “war or peace” decision, we must choose
China, and Taiwan is a crucial diplomatic field we peace and find the solutions to this global conflict. It
should all investigate. could be accomplished through a regulation of U.S.-
Taiwan exchanges, and other forms of provocations,
This diplomatic conflict started when the People’s or through the election of a candidate from the
Republic of China (PRC) took over the Republic KMT opposition party. Another solution could be a
of China’s UN Security Council seat, and was rapprochement of the two peoples with diverging
recognized as sole government of the whole ideas yet a common past by the implementation
country, seeking, under the ‘One China’ policy, to of diplomatic regulations between the two world
reunify Taiwan with the mainland. In recent years, powers that aim to exclude the island from their
the island, having already been through presidential conflict and the promotion understanding between
elections and a series of constitutional reforms, Taiwan and China that exclude the U.S. A final way
unsuccessfully applied for membership in the UN. out presents itself in the form of the resolution of
the Hong Kong issue to convey that cooperation
In a deepening dispute over trade and technology between these two synergic entities and their
with China, the U.S decided to intervene and common enemy -China- is possible. War or peace?
support Taiwan’s independence movement. In They should all answer “Peace.”
fact, from arms sales to Taipei to high level security Tendra Eid SG3