Explained | What is 'One China' policy? How is US playing the balancing act between China and Taiwan?

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit has brought into focus the ‘One-China’ policy that US has been following to play the balancing act

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is currently in Taiwan which has heightened US-China tensions more than visits by other members of Congress because of her high-level position as leader of the House of Representatives as well as for her previous acts of defiance against the totalitarian state.

In retaliation, China, which claims Taiwan as its territory and opposes any engagement by Taiwanese officials with foreign governments, announced multiple military exercises around the island and issued a series of harsh statements after the delegation touched down in the Taiwanese capital, Taipei.

This has also brought back to focus United States' ‘One-China’ policy that the US is 'committed to' which is Beijing's claim to be the sole government of both mainland China and Taiwan.

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What is the One-China policy?

Taiwan and China split in 1949 after the communists won a civil war in the mainland. Both sides say they are one country but disagree over which government is entitled to national leadership.

The One-China policy recognises only the People’s Republic of China, which came into existence after the civil war. It does not recognise the existence of Taiwan (the Republic of China), where the nationalists retreated to and based the seat of the government after losing the mainland to the communists.

However, China's 'One China' principle is different from the United States' 'One China' policy. Washington's policy says it takes no position on the status of the two sides but wants their dispute resolved peacefully. Beijing promotes an alternative principle that says they are one country and the Communist Party is its leader.

Track live updates from Pelosi's Taiwan visit

While the US recognises Beijing, it maintains informal and defence ties with Taiwan's Taipei.

The US shifted to using “policy” in place of “principle” in order to differentiate between the US approach and China’s version.

How does it affect the US-China relationship?

The ‘One China’ policy is a longstanding policy by the US that forms the relationship between the two countries.

The contours of the policy were explained in the US-PRC joint communique of December, 1978, which said, “The People’s Republic of China and the United States of America have agreed to recognise each other and to establish diplomatic relations as of January 1, 1979. The United States of America recognises the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China. Within this context, the people of the United States will maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan.”

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In simple words, with the policy, the US is trying to maintain an official relationship with China and an unofficial one with Taiwan.

On the other hand, the relations between the US and China are at an all-time low. The two countries are currently engaged in a bitter confrontation over various issues, including trade, the origins of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the communist giant's aggressive military moves in the disputed South China Sea and human rights.

Why is the US defending Taiwan?

The US switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979 but maintains informal relations with the island. Washington is obligated by federal law to see that Taiwan has the means to defend itself.

Also Read | US warships cruising near Taiwan as Pelosi visits

In 1979, US Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA). The Act made it clear that “the United States decision to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China rests upon the expectation that the future of Taiwan will be determined by peaceful means”.

The Act established the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), a private non-governmental organisation to maintain ties with the island.

Pelosi portrays her high-profile trip as part of a US obligation to stand with democracies against autocratic countries, and with democratic Taiwan against China.

Is India a part of it?

India – like most other nations – had been adhering to its One-China policy since 1949. It was routinely reaffirmed in joint statements issued after meetings between the leaders of the two nations, however, it stopped doing so in 2010.

Beijing had conveyed to New Delhi that a reiteration of the One-China policy by India would significantly help enhance the mutual trust between the two neighbouring nations. But India declined to reaffirm the One-China policy in the joint statement in response to Beijing's policy of issuing “stapled visas” — instead of normal visas pasted on pages of passports issued by the Government of India — to Jammu and Kashmir residents seeking to travel to China.

Also Read | North Korea denounces US 'interference' over Pelosi's Taiwan visit

So what happens now?

Soon after Pelosi landed in Taiwan, China responded swiftly, warning the US ambassador in Beijing of "extremely serious consequences" and announcing military drills around Taiwan.

Her visit "is extremely egregious in nature and the consequences are extremely serious", Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng told Burns, according to state news agency Xinhua.

Even though US has perfected its 'One-China' policy that has helped the country to do a balancing act between China and Taiwan, it is yet to be seen how the country will manage Jinping's retaliations.

China announced drills in six locations surrounding Taiwan soon after Pelosi - a veteran China critic - landed in Taipei on Tuesday night.

Taiwan officials said the live fire drills violate United Nations rules, invade Taiwan's territorial space and are a direct challenge to free air and sea navigation.

China also imposed multiple sanctions on Taiwan for goods and trade. It suspended exports of natural sand to Taiwan and halted imports of fruit and fish products from the self-governed island.

In a warning salvo ahead of Pelosi's visit, Chinese customs had suspended imports from 35 Taiwanese exporters of biscuits and pastries since Monday.

(With agency inputs)