Editing Chinese unification (section)

== Background ==
In 1895, the [[Manchu people|Manchu]]-led [[Qing dynasty]] of China lost the [[First Sino-Japanese War]] and was forced to cede [[Taiwan under Qing rule|Taiwan and Penghu]] to the [[Empire of Japan]] after signing the [[Treaty of Shimonoseki]]. In 1912, the Qing dynasty was overthrown and was succeeded by the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]] (ROC). Based on the theory of the [[succession of states]], the ROC originally lay claim to the entire territory which belonged to the Qing dynasty during the time of its collapse, except for Taiwan, which the ROC recognized as belonging to the Empire of Japan at the time.{{Citation needed|reason=Please provide citation for "except for Taiwan, which the ROC recognized as belonging to the Empire of Japan at the time." |date=May 2024}} The ROC managed to attain widespread recognition as the legitimate successor state to the Qing dynasty during the years following the fall of the Qing dynasty.{{cn|date=June 2024}}

In the year 1945, the ROC won the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]], which was intertwined with [[World War II]], and took control of [[Taiwan under Japanese rule|Taiwan]] [[General Order No. 1|on behalf of]] the [[Allies of World War II|Allied Powers]], following the Japanese surrender. The ROC immediately asserted its claim to Taiwan as "[[Taiwan Province|Taiwan Province, Republic of China]]", basing its claim on the [[Potsdam Declaration]] and the [[1943 Cairo Declaration|Cairo Communique]]. Around this time, the ROC nullified the Treaty of Shimonoseki, declaring it to be one of the many "[[Unequal treaty|Unequal Treaties]]" imposed on China during the so-called "[[Century of humiliation|Century of Humiliation]]". At the time, the [[Kuomintang]] (KMT) was the ruling party of the ROC, and was widely recognized as its legitimate representative, especially due to the collaboration of its leader [[Chiang Kai-shek]] with the Allied Powers.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

However, throughout much of the rule of the ROC, China had been internally divided during a period called the [[Warlord Era]]. According to the common narrative, the ROC was divided into many different [[ruling clique]]s and [[Secession in China|secessionist states]], which were in a constant struggle following the [[power vacuum]] which was created after the overthrowing of the Qing Dynasty. During this period, two ruling cliques eventually came out on top; that of the KMT, backed by the [[United States]], and that of the [[Chinese Communist Party]] (CCP), backed by the [[Soviet Union]]. The power struggle between these two specific political parties has come to be known as the [[Chinese Civil War]]. The Chinese Civil War was fought sporadically throughout the ROC's history; it was interrupted by the Second Sino-Japanese War.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

After the Second Sino-Japanese War concluded, the Chinese Civil War resumed, and the CCP quickly gained a huge advantage over the KMT (ruling the ROC). In 1949, the KMT [[Kuomintang's retreat to Taiwan|evacuated its government]], its military, and around 1.2–2 million loyal citizens to Taiwan, which had only been ruled by the KMT for around four years by this time. Back in mainland China, the CCP proclaimed the "People's Republic of China (PRC)", effectively creating a reality of [[Two Chinas]]. Following the creation of Two Chinas, the PRC began to fight a diplomatic war against the [[Republic of China on Taiwan|ROC on Taiwan]] over official recognition as the sole legitimate government of China. Eventually, the PRC (mostly) won this war, and ascended to the position of "[[China and the United Nations|China]]" in the [[United Nations]] in 1971, evicting the ROC from that position.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

As a result, the ROC still governed Taiwan but was no longer recognized as a [[Member states of the United Nations|member state of the United Nations]]. In recent years, membership in the United Nations has become almost an essential qualifier of statehood. Most [[List of states with limited recognition|states with limited recognition]] are not at all recognized by most governments and intergovernmental organizations. However, the ROC is a unique case, given that it has still managed to attain [[Foreign relations of Taiwan|a significant degree of unofficial international recognition]], even though most countries do not officially recognize it as a sovereign state. This is mainly due to the fact that the ROC was previously recognized as the legitimate government of China, providing an extensive framework for unofficial diplomatic relations to be conducted between the ROC and other countries.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}

In the years following the ROC's retreat to Taiwan, Taiwan has gone through a series of significant social, political, economic, and cultural shifts, strengthening the divide between Taiwan and mainland China. This has been further exacerbated by Taiwan's history as a colony of the Japanese Empire, which led to the establishment of a unique Taiwanese identity and the desire for [[Taiwan independence movement|Taiwan independence]]. The Taiwan independence movement has grown considerably stronger in recent decades, and has especially become a viable force on the island ever since the ROC's transition to a [[multi-party system]], during what has become known as the [[History of Taiwan#Republic of China (1945–present)|Democratization of Taiwan]].{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}

The PRC has never recognized the sovereignty of Taiwan. PRC asserts that the ROC ceased to exist in the year 1949 when the PRC was proclaimed. Officially, PRC refers to the territory controlled by Taiwan as [[Taiwan, China|Taiwan area]], and to the government of Taiwan as the Taiwan authorities. PRC continues to claim Taiwan as its 23rd Province, and the Fujianese territories still under Taiwanese control as parts of [[Fujian|Fujian Province]]. PRC has established the [[One China|one China principle]] in order to clarify its intention. The CCP classifies Taiwan independence supporters as one of the [[Five Poisons]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Callick |first=Rowan |date=March 11, 2007 |title=China's great firewall |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fnation%2Finquirer%2Fchinas-great-firewall%2Fnews-story%2Fbf7df5dafcf4af8968ffd56cd0688460&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&nk=251a57fdace5b075f2cf7af36f498b32-1737436718 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928071818/https://amp.theaustralian.com.au/news/inquirer/chinas-great-firewall/news-story/bf7df5dafcf4af8968ffd56cd0688460 |archive-date=28 September 2021 |access-date=May 21, 2024 |website=[[The Australian]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Hoffman |first1=Samantha |last2=Mattis |first2=Peter |date=18 July 2016 |title=Managing the Power Within: China's State Security Commission |url=http://warontherocks.com/2016/07/managing-the-power-within-chinas-state-security-commission/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160719130204/http://warontherocks.com/2016/07/managing-the-power-within-chinas-state-security-commission/ |archive-date=19 July 2016 |access-date=22 July 2016 |website=War on the Rocks}}</ref> In 2005, the [[10th National People's Congress]] passed the [[Anti-Secession Law]] authorizing military force for unification.<ref>{{cite web |last=Robinson |first=Dan |date=16 March 2005 |title=US House Criticizes China Bill on Taiwan Secession |url=http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-03-16-voa60.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050402022813/http://voanews.com/english/2005-03-16-voa60.cfm |archive-date=2005-04-02 |access-date=2005-03-17 |website=[[Voice of America]]}}</ref>

Most Taiwanese people oppose joining PRC for various reasons, including fears of the loss of Taiwan's [[democracy]], [[human rights]], and [[Taiwanese nationalism]]. Opponents either favor maintaining the status quo of the Republic of China administrating Taiwan or the pursuit of Taiwan independence.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://esc.nccu.edu.tw/pic.php?img=167_b20ec575.jpg&dir=news&title=%E5%9C%96%E7%89%87 |title=政治大學 選舉研究中心 |access-date=30 June 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140507082609/http://esc.nccu.edu.tw/pic.php?img=167_b20ec575.jpg&dir=news&title=%E5%9C%96%E7%89%87 |archive-date=7 May 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Constitution of the Republic of China]] states that its territory includes the mainland,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Taiwan_2005.pdf?lang=en|title=Taiwan (Republic of China)'s Constitution of 1947 with Amendments through 2005|access-date=1 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107165943/https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Taiwan_2005.pdf?lang=en|archive-date=7 November 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> but the official policy of the Taiwanese government is dependent on which coalition is currently in power. The position of the [[Pan-Blue Coalition]], which comprises the Kuomintang, the [[People First Party (Taiwan)|People First Party]] and the [[New Party (Taiwan)|New Party]] is to eventually incorporate the mainland into the ROC, while the position of the [[Pan-Green Coalition]], composed of the [[Democratic Progressive Party]] (DPP) and the [[Taiwan Solidarity Union]], is to pursue Taiwanese independence.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cna.com.tw/news/aipl/201709270219-1.aspx|access-date=7 November 2017|script-title=zh:民進黨：台灣是主權獨立國家 叫中華民國 {{!}} 政治 {{!}} 中央社即時新聞 CNA NEWS|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107170123/http://www.cna.com.tw/news/aipl/201709270219-1.aspx|archive-date=7 November 2017|url-status=live |date=27 September 2017 }}</ref>

In 2024, the Chinese government issued a directive to the courts stating that "diehard" independence supporters could be [[Trial in absentia|tried in absentia]] with [[Capital punishment in China|capital punishment]] imposed.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite news |date=June 21, 2024 |title=China threatens death penalty for 'diehard' Taiwan separatists |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-issues-guidelines-criminal-punishment-diehard-taiwan-separatists-2024-06-21/ |access-date=June 22, 2024 |work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite news |date=June 21, 2024 |title=China threatens death penalty for supporters of Taiwan independence |url=https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/taiwan-independence-06212024151620.html |access-date=June 22, 2024 |work=[[Radio Free Asia]]}}</ref>