Bridging the Strait implications for Japan and the United States following a peaceful reunification of China and Taiwan

Abstract

Ever since the Nationalist Party retreated from the Chinese mainland to the island of Taiwan after its defeat in the Chinese civil war by the Chinese Communists in 1949, China has been a divided country. The division has provoked tensions and occasionally hostilities across the Taiwan Strait. Debate and speculation have long surrounded the possible political unification of Taiwan with the mainland. Unification would have far-reaching implications for security, economic relations, and political ties in Asia as a whole. It would force Japan and the United States to re-examine their positions in the region. The major question to be addressed by this thesis is: what would be the strategic implications for Japan and by extension the United States if China and Taiwan were to reunify peacefully? The ramifications for both countries will be different based on a number of factors, including historical, military, and socio-political considerations. The relationship between Japan and the United States would be altered based on the peaceful reunification of China and Taiwan. This thesis concludes that Japan would find itself in a less secure security context while the United States would be able to focus its military attention elsewhere.