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  • Since 1949, both Taiwan’s government, The Republic of China, and Mainland China’s government, The People’s Republic of China have claimed validity as the legitimate, and only, “China”.

  • So, what’s going on? Which is therealChina, and why do

  • the two countries hate each other?

  • A small disclaimer: We use these names to simplify the issue and are not siding with one or the other.

  • So, there used to be a single China under a single government.

  • But in 1949, during the Chinese Civil War, the Communist party forced the ruling government of China to flee.

  • They went to Taiwan, an ex-Japanese owned island separated from Mainland China by the Taiwan Strait.

  • The Communist Party instituted themselves as the new Chinese government.

  • And the two governments continued their war. The US, NATO, and most Western nations recognized the exiled Taiwanese government as legitimate.

  • Meanwhile, the Soviet Bloc and a few other countries recognized the new Communist government instead.

  • However, in 1979, the United States switched allegiances from the old Chinese government to the new Communist one in order to gain influence against the Soviet Union.

  • Mainland China then reached out to Taiwan with a “Three Linksattempt to normalized relations.

  • The three links weretransportation, commerce, and communication”.

  • In response, Taiwan implemented theirThree Noesforeign policy with Mainland China,

  • no contact, no compromise and no negotiation”.

  • But by 1987, Taiwan began allowing residents to visit Mainland China,

  • and both countries established institutions to deal with governmental relations.

  • Interestingly, since there has never been a formal declaration of peace from either side,

  • both countries are technically still at war today.

  • In 1992, the two governments came to a consensus, acknowledging that there was only one China,

  • and that each believed themselves to be it. Basically, they agreed to disagree,

  • which has let the two discuss negotiations without being bogged down on this primary issue.

  • The opposition to this consensus has been the movement to make Taiwan an independent country with it’s own, separate, national identity.

  • A third solution, calledOne Country, Two Systemswould establish Taiwan as one of China’s autonomous regions,

  • like Hong Kong and Macau.

  • However, in 2005, the Mainland Chinese passed a law to prevent Taiwan fromseceding,”

  • by authorizingnon-peacefulmeans to unify Taiwan back into Mainland China.

  • Since a number of groups in Taiwan want to establish independence, this law could cause a military showdown between the two countries, something Taiwan is eager to avoid.

  • At the same time, many in Taiwan are content with the status quo of mutually denying each other’s legitimacy.

  • Since then, a 2014 meeting between officials from both countries marked the first direct government contact since 1949.

  • From this meeting, and several high profile negotiations in the late 2000s,

  • the two countries have attempted to increase their economic, trade, healthcare, and travel relations.

  • However the two countries still seems far from reconciliation

  • due to the complicated, and sometimes paradoxical nature of their dispute.

  • Although each region has a unique story, China also has ongoing disputes with both Hong Kong and Tibet.

  • To learn more about these complex issues, check out the videos we made right over here.

  • And make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss a single upcoming video from TestTube!

  • Thanks everyone!

Since 1949, both Taiwan’s government, The Republic of China, and Mainland China’s government, The People’s Republic of China have claimed validity as the legitimate, and only, “China”.

Subtitles and vocabulary

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B2 US taiwan china mainland mainland china government communist

Why China And Taiwan Hate Each Other

  • 477 17
    阿多賓 posted on 2015/11/20
Video vocabulary

Keywords

recognize

US /ˈrek.əɡ.naɪz/

UK /ˈrek.əɡ.naɪz/

  • other
  • To accept that something is true or important
  • To know someone or something because you have seen or heard them before
  • To officially accept or approve of a country, government, etc.
  • To realize or understand something
  • To acknowledge the existence, validity, or legality of something.
  • To show appreciation for someone's efforts or qualities.
  • To identify someone or something seen before.
  • To understand and accept the importance of something.
  • verb
  • To accept the truth or reality of something
  • To officially accept or approve of something
  • To consider something as important or special
  • To accept the legal authority of someone, thing
  • To know someone or something because you have seen or heard them before
  • To publicly show appreciation for someone's work
  • To know someone or something because you have seen or heard him or her or experienced it before
people

US /ˈpipəl/

UK /'pi:pl/

  • noun
  • Ordinary people; the general public.
  • Ordinary people; commoners.
  • Persons sharing culture, country, background, etc.
  • The employees of a company or organization.
  • Humans in general; persons considered collectively.
  • Men, Women, Children
  • A nation or ethnic group.
  • Human beings in general or considered collectively.
  • One's family or relatives.
  • other
  • Human beings in general or considered collectively.
  • other
  • To populate; to fill with people.
issue

US /ˈɪʃu/

UK /'ɪʃu:/

  • noun
  • A person's children.
  • A point of disagreement or dispute.
  • Important topic discussed, debated or argued over
  • A copy of a magazine or newspaper published at a particular time.
  • Single edition of a magazine
  • The action of supplying or officially providing something.
  • An important topic or problem for debate or discussion.
  • verb
  • To make something available to be used or sold
  • To deliver a statement, etc. in an official manner
  • other
  • To send out or give out.
  • To officially produce or provide something.
  • other
  • To be produced or supplied.
single

US /ˈsɪŋɡəl/

UK /'sɪŋɡl/

  • noun
  • One run in cricket or a hit baseball
  • An individual song from a CD or album
  • Person who is not married or in a relationship
  • adjective
  • Being one only, without others
  • Only; merely
  • Not married or in a relationship
contact

US /ˈkɑnˌtækt/

UK /'kɒntækt/

  • adjective
  • Touching or feeling something
  • noun
  • Touching or feeling something
  • A conductor allowing electricity to pass.
  • Exposure to a disease.
  • Object that allows electricity to run through it
  • Communication with someone or something
  • People who can give you information, introductions
  • other
  • To communicate with someone.
  • To communicate with someone.
  • To touch something
  • other
  • Communication or interaction.
  • The state or condition of physical touching.
  • other
  • Communication or interaction.
  • The state or condition of physical touching.
  • verb
  • To get in touch with someone
establish

US /ɪˈstæblɪʃ/

UK /ɪˈstæblɪʃ/

  • verb
  • To set or create something to last for a long time
  • To use facts, evidence to show truth or clarity
  • other
  • To discover or prove the facts of a situation.
  • To settle or place in a secure or permanent position.
  • To start or create (an organization, a system, etc.) that is meant to last for a long time.
legitimate

US /ləˈdʒɪtəmɪt/

UK /lɪ'dʒɪtɪmət/

  • adjective
  • Being born to legally married parents
  • Genuine and real.
  • Conforming to the law or to rules.
  • Being reasonable and sound
  • verb
  • To make acceptable and sound
  • other
  • To make (something) legitimate.
government

US /ˈɡʌvənmənt/

UK /ˈgʌvənmənt/

  • noun
  • Group of people and system that rule a nation
  • A building where a government operates.
  • A department or bureau of the government.
  • The body or group of people that controls and directs a country or state.
  • The administration in power.
  • The body or group of people that controls and directs a country or area.
  • The system by which a state or community is governed.
  • other
  • The act or process of governing; governance.
  • The act or manner of governing; control; direction.
  • Divine direction; providence.
  • The study of how countries are governed.
  • The system by which a state or community is governed.
  • The study of the systems of governing.
communist

US /ˈkɑmjənɪst/

UK /ˈkɒmjənɪst/

  • adjective
  • Believer in communism
  • Relating to communism or a communist party.
  • noun
  • A person who supports or believes in communism.
consensus

US /kənˈsɛnsəs/

UK /kənˈsensəs/

  • noun
  • A decision that is shared by most of a group
  • A general agreement about something.