GS Paper 2:
Topics Covered: India and its neighbours.
Context:
India and Taiwan have started negotiations for a free-trade agreement and the setting up of a semiconductor manufacturing facility by a Taiwanese firm in India, in a significant step signalling their resolve to broad-base the overall bilateral economic engagement.
- If the move to set up the semiconductor manufacturing plant succeeds, then it will be the second such facility to be set up by a Taiwanese company in a foreign country after a similar hub in the United States.
- India’s policy on Taiwan is clear and consistent and it is focused on promoting interactions in areas of trade, investment and tourism among others.
- Government facilitates and promotes interactions in areas of trade, investment, tourism, culture, education and other such people-to-people exchanges.
- However, India doesn’t have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but both sides have trade and people-to-people ties.
Indo- Taiwan relations:
- Although they do not have formal diplomatic ties, Taiwan and India have been cooperating in various fields.
- India has refused to endorse the “one-China” policy since 2010.
Significance of India for Taiwan:
Taiwan is keen to deepen relations with various countries.
- Also, China has ramped up military pressure, including repeated missions by Chinese warplanes near democratic Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own and has not ruled out taking by force.
Way ahead:
India and Taiwan are celebrating 25 years of their partnership.
Mutual efforts between Delhi and Taipei have enabled a range of bilateral agreements covering agriculture, investment, customs cooperation, civil aviation, industrial cooperation and other areas. This growing relationship indicates that the time has come to recalibrate India-Taiwan relations.
What needs to be done?
- Both sides can create a group of empowered persons or a task force to chart out a road map in a given time frame.
- The time is ripe to expand cooperation in the field of healthcare.
- Taiwan could be a valuable partner in dealing with this challenge through its bio-friendly technologies.
China- Taiwan relations- Background:
China has claimed Taiwan through its “one China” policy since the Chinese civil war forced the defeated Kuomintang, or Nationalist, to flee to the island in 1949 and has vowed to bring it under Beijing’s rule, by force if necessary.
- While Taiwan is self-governed and de facto independent, it has never formally declared independence from the mainland.
- Under the “one country, two systems” formula, Taiwan would have the right to run its own affairs; a similar arrangement is used in Hong Kong.
Presently, Taiwan is claimed by China, which refuses diplomatic relations with countries that recognise the region.
Insta Curious:
Did you know that to this date, Taiwan is not a part of the WHO owing to objections from China? Read this to know more about the issue.
InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
- Location of Taiwan and its historical background.
- Regions being administered by China under One China policy.
- Is Taiwan represented at WHO and the United Nations?
- Countries in the South China Sea.
- Qing dynasty.
Mains Link:
Write a note on India- Taiwan bilateral relations.
Sources: the Hindu.
