Taiwan Issue In China-ASEAN Relations In The Post Cold War Era

In the 21st century, Taiwan issue has aroused great concern in academic circles both at home and abroad. One of the greatest threats we are facing with in terms of China's national security, independence and sovereignty is the "Taiwan Independence Plot." Mainland's development and integration of cross-strait relations are the internal factors to keep "Taiwan Independence Plot" within limit and eventually realize the reunification of China. As far as the external factor is concerned, one of the prominent features of "Taiwan Independence Plot" is "resorting to foreign forces", it may require us to take a broad and long-term view on tactic and careful coping with strategy, so as to effective address the intervention of external forces, in particular, under the backdrop of "Taiwan's de jure independence" and even "anti-reunification by using force".The Taiwan issue involves a number of international factors, in order to resolve the Taiwan issue, it is necessary to lay emphasis on the international environment of China's reunification. This paper, by means of international political economy, analyzes the post Cold War China-ASEAN relations from the perspective of regionalism, simultaneously, probes into the relations between Chinese Mainland, ASEAN and Taiwan, and proposes the regional integration be conducive to marginalizing the Taiwan Issue, and the China-ASEAN consultation and coordination mechanisms be helpful to "keeping Taiwan independence within limit and promoting the reunification of China."ASEAN countries and Taiwan Province are adjacent geographically, and contact with each other extensively. In order to compress the living space of "Taiwan Independence Plot", China must properly handle the relations with ASEAN. Since the ending of the Cold War, relations between China and ASEAN has undergoing rapid development, both leaders recognized that relations between China and ASEAN have entered the best period in history. Since the beginning of 21st century, China-ASEAN relations have been lifted into a new level. October 8,2003, in Bali, Indonesia, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and ASEAN leaders signed the "China-ASEAN Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership", both sides announced the establishment of "The Strategic and Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Prosperity." On the same day, China has successfully joined the "Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia." As a buffer zone between big powers, relations between China and ASEAN do not have a global impact like the relation between China and other major powers, but it is encouraging that both sides have established "The Strategic and Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Prosperity.", which have profound significance in addressing the "Taiwan Issue".After the Cold War, ASEAN countries have adopted two-side policy of the Taiwan issue in varying degrees. On the one hand, they stick to "One China" policy, attaching more importance to the relations with mainland China, and put its relations with Taiwan in the secondary and subordinate position, basically maintained an economic and non-official level. On the other hand, they did not strictly adhere to the "One China" policy, the deliberate interaction between Taiwan authorities and the ASEAN countries has strengthen the relations both economic and political security. In fact, the "Taiwan Issue" effects the China-ASEAN relations. Relations between Taiwan and ASEAN countries are closely related to the development of the international environment after the Cold War, but mainly because of economic benefits, also because of the strategy of ASEAN countries toward China. Enhancement of bilateral relations between China and ASEAN exert impact in many aspects, it is a threat toward China's peaceful reunification, and also increased the costs of China's diplomacy. We should seize the golden opportunity of the establishment of "China-ASEAN Free Trade Zone", follow the principle of "step by step" and wait until the time arrived, so as to eventually address the contradictions and differences between China and ASEAN countries. In general, during a long period of time in the near future, the ASEAN countries will adhere to the "One China "policy, attaching more importance to the relations with China, and "The Strategic and Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Prosperity" will not be changed. At the same time, ASEAN countries will continue to maintain and strengthen substantive relations with Taiwan authorities, grab benefit through developing economic and trade relations with Taiwan; however, the relationship will not break the existing framework. The relations between ASEAN and China mainland is gradually strengthening, while the relations between ASEAN and Taiwan belong to the scope of the regional economy, rather than political factors.