The Delicate Balance Of Taiwan

Once again the issue of whether Taiwan will see independence is alive and well among East Asian countries. On January 15th, the Chinese vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, General Guo Boxiong, stated that China would not allow Taiwan's independence, or allow anyone to aid in separating the island from China's territory. These statements were made to the US-Pacific Command in an attempt to assert China's firm position on Taiwan. The result of this conference was an affirmation of the status-quo across the Straits. Even though both China and the United States have routinely pushed to maintain a delicate balance within the Straits, it is still unknown how long the status-quo will be able to maintain it's integrity and possibly break apart due to a move towards Taiwanese independence.