Cross-Strait relations facts for kids

PRC and ROC in China

Cross-strait relations are about how the governments of Mainland China and Taiwan interact. Mainland China is officially called the People's Republic of China (PRC). Taiwan is officially called the Republic of China (ROC).

These two governments do not officially recognize each other. Both sides follow a rule called the One-China policy. This policy says there is only one true government of China. Both the PRC and the ROC believe they are that one true government.

These relations are special. They are not like normal relations between two separate countries. This is because both sides claim that the other's land is part of their own country. But they are also not just internal matters, like how a country handles its own regions.

When the PRC government talks with Taiwan, they use a group called the Association of Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS). This group works under the Taiwan Affairs Office in Mainland China. When the ROC government talks with Mainland China, they use the Strait Exchange Foundation (SEF). This group works under the Mainland Affairs Council in Taiwan.

What Each Side Believes

The PRC believes that Taiwan is a part of Mainland China. They have a plan for this called One Country, Two Systems. This idea was first shared by Deng Xiaoping in 1984. It means Taiwan would be part of China but keep its own way of life.

The ROC believes that Mainland China is part of Taiwan. They have their own plan called One Country, Two Areas. This idea was introduced by Wu Po-hsiung in 2012. It means Mainland China would be part of Taiwan, but with different rules.

However, for now, both sides agree on something called the 1992 consensus. This agreement helps them talk to each other. It means both sides agree there is "One China." But they have different ideas about what "One China" actually means. The PRC thinks Taiwan is part of the PRC. The ROC thinks Mainland China is part of the ROC.

Images for kids

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  A 1912 map of the Japanese Empire, showing Taiwan, which was under Japanese rule from 1895 to 1945.

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  U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, riding with President Chiang Kai-shek, waves to onlookers during his visit to Taipei, Taiwan in June 1960.

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  The Taiwan Strait

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  United Nations for Taiwan banner at Taipei Railway Station.

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  Lien Chan and Chiang Pin-kung touring the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing with the Kuomintang delegation to mainland China in 2005.

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  Lien Chan's second visit to mainland China in April 2006.

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  7th Chen-Chiang Summit in Tianjin between ARATS and SEF in October 2011

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  2014 Wang-Zhang Meeting in Taiwan.

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  2015 Ma–Xi meeting in Singapore.

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  ROC President Tsai Ing-wen (right) publicly spoke out against the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA)

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  Route Map of the weekend cross-strait charter, for flights as of August 2008. (To make lines easy to distinguish, the actual path between cities is not shown accurately; planes to and from Taiwan had to fly through Hong Kong airspace at the time.)

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  Flight CI581, the first direct flight between Taipei and Beijing, and also the first direct flight between mainland China and Taiwan: 29 January 2005.

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  Special Travel document issued by PRC, to ROC citizen who wants to enter Mainland China.

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  Exit and Entry Permit issued by ROC, to PRC citizen who wants to enter Taiwan.

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  China Postal Airlines aircraft in Taiwan

See also

In Spanish: Relaciones a través del estrecho de Taiwán para niños