Assignment asks secondary school students to debate: Is Taiwan an independent country?

​Dutch Textbook Features a Full 2-Page Spread on Taiwan !
Assignment asks secondary school students to debate: Is Taiwan an independent country?

​I. Legal and Historical Arguments

​In the fields of international law and modern Taiwanese history, these arguments carry significant legal credibility and validity:

​1. Treaty Validity: The 1852 San Francisco Peace Treaty

​Key Fact: In Article 2, Clause (b) of the treaty, Japan explicitly declared that it “renounces all right, title, and claim to Formosa and the Pescadores.”

​Legal Significance: The treaty only stipulated that Japan “renounced” sovereignty, without explicitly designating the “transfer” of sovereignty over Taiwan and Penghu to any specific country (whether the Republic of China or the People’s Republic of China). This serves as the most solid legal foundation under international law for the “undetermined status of Taiwan.”

​Hierarchy Above “Declarations”: The San Francisco Peace Treaty is a legally binding multilateral international treaty signed and ratified by 48 nations. In contrast, the 1943 Cairo Declaration and the 1945 Potsdam Declaration are, in terms of international law, wartime press communiqués or statements of policy intent. Their legal standing and normative authority cannot supersede a formal international treaty.

​2. The 1895 Treaty of Shimonoseki Cession

​Legal Fact: In 1895, the Qing Dynasty signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki with Japan, ceding Taiwan and Penghu “in perpetuity” to Japan. From that point onward, the Qing Dynasty completely lost its sovereignty and jurisdiction over Taiwan. Therefore, under the logic of international law, the post-war disposition concerned “territory renounced by Japan,” rather than an “automatic return to the defunct Qing Dynasty or its successor regime.”

​II. Why Did the Dutch Textbook Design a “Support vs. Opposition” Assignment?

​The Dutch educational material describes Taiwan as an “arena of rivalry among great powers” and integrates TSMC, ASML, and the semiconductor supply chain, illustrating two distinct dimensions through which the contemporary international community views Taiwan:

​ International Perspectives on the Taiwan Issue

​(1) Supporting Independence / De Facto Sovereignty
① ​Meets the four elements of statehood
② ​Democratic elections and constitutional system
③ ​”Undetermined sovereignty” under the San Francisco Peace Treaty
④ ​Key position in the global economy and semiconductor industry

​(2) Opposing / Challenges in International Recognition
❶ ​United Nations representation issue
❷ ​Few official diplomatic allies
❸ ​The “One China” principle and great power dynamics

​The objective of Dutch education is not to provide students with a rigid “standard answer,” but rather to help them understand:

​De Facto Level: Taiwan possesses an independent government, military, constitution, currency, and democratic elections, functioning as an independent state in practice.

​De Jure Level: Due to geopolitics, pressure from the People’s Republic of China, and diplomatic compromises made by various countries under their respective “One China policies,” Taiwan faces unique legal and diplomatic challenges regarding formal recognition.

​III. Clear Judgement of the Taiwanese People: From “Undetermined Status” to “Popular Sovereignty”

​It is crucial for Taiwanese people to possess clear judgment, which holds immense significance in contemporary Taiwanese society. Looking at historical evolution, the positioning of Taiwan’s sovereignty has undergone the following transformation:

​Legal Foundation (Treaty History): Under the San Francisco Peace Treaty, territorial sovereignty over post-war Taiwan was never explicitly transferred to any nation by international treaty. This refutes the PRC’s legal claim that “Taiwan has been an inalienable part of China since ancient times.”

​Transfer of Sovereignty (Evolution of Popular Sovereignty): Since the San Francisco Peace Treaty left the destination of sovereignty open, to whom does this sovereignty ultimately belong? Modern international law widely recognizes the principle of “popular sovereignty” (sovereignty resides in the people). Through full parliamentary re-elections (1992), direct presidential elections (1996), multiple peaceful transfers of power, and public referendums, the 23 million people living in Taiwan have, through democratic processes, substantially assumed and established sovereignty over this land.

​Summary

​Referencing the historical facts of the post-WWII Peace Treaty with Japan / San Francisco Peace Treaty signed by 48 Allied nations provides Taiwan with a strong historical and legal defense, demonstrating that Taiwan does not belong to the ROC/PRC. Meanwhile, the critical thinking questions in the Dutch textbook reflect the international community’s recognition of Taiwan’s de facto existence and geopolitical significance.

​By combining treaty history (San Francisco Peace Treaty) with modern democracy (popular sovereignty), Taiwanese people can reach a clear and firm conclusion: Taiwan is a democratic country possessing full sovereignty and self-governance by the people of Taiwan.

​Expanding on this Topic

​Whether viewed from the nuances of historical treaties or through the lens of critical education in the Netherlands, there are several perspectives worth exploring further:

⑴ ​The Context of the San Francisco Peace Treaty and the Treaty of Taipei (Sino-Japanese Peace Treaty):

The Treaty of Taipei, signed in 1952, followed the spirit of the San Francisco Peace Treaty. It merely stated that Japan renounced sovereignty over Taiwan and Penghu without transferring that sovereignty to the ROC. This stands as a classic historical example of “renunciation of territory without specified destination.”

⑵ ​Critical Thinking Training in Western Civic Education:
The Dutch secondary school textbook presents Chiang Kai-shek, Mao Zedong, TSMC, and ASML within the same chapter, allowing 13-year-old students to comprehend Taiwan holistically across history, geopolitics, and global supply chains (semiconductors). Rather than offering rigid answers, this educational approach trains students to formulate two-way arguments using both facts and legal principles when analyzing complex international situations.

⑶ ​The Same Applies in New York City, USA:
In the local education system, during the middle school stage in the 7th grade (equivalent to 7th grade / 1st year of junior high in Taiwan, where US middle/high school spans 6th to 9th grade), classrooms already organize structured debate exercises for students on major international issues of this nature.

https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/breakingnews/5607613

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