The framing of Taiwan as a “problem” is a distortion. Taiwan exists as a vibrant democracy, a self-governing society with no internal crisis over its identity or legitimacy. The so-called “Taiwan problem” is not Taiwan’s—it is China’s insistence on denying Taiwan’s right to exist independently.
Taiwan has built a stable political system, free elections, and a thriving civil society. Its institutions function without the existential crises that plague authoritarian regimes. For the people of Taiwan, independence is not a radical aspiration but the lived reality of daily governance.
Beijing’s narrative of Taiwan as a “renegade province” is a political construction designed to shore up the Chinese Communist Party’s legitimacy. By externalizing its insecurities, China transforms Taiwan’s existence into a threat. The crisis is not organic—it is engineered.
No binding international legal instrument affirms China’s sovereignty over Taiwan. The United Nations has never passed such a resolution. Taiwan maintains robust unofficial relations worldwide, participates in global trade, and contributes to international security. Its existence is recognized de facto, even if Beijing pressures states to deny it de jure.
Taiwan’s position in the first island chain makes it a strategic asset for regional stability. For China, this geography is a barrier to expansion. For Taiwan and its partners, it is a natural role in maintaining balance. The “problem” is China’s ambition, not Taiwan’s presence.
Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, led by TSMC, anchors global supply chains. Its economic independence is not a vulnerability but a strength. China’s dependence on Taiwanese technology underscores the irony: Beijing fears Taiwan precisely because it thrives.
Taiwan does not struggle to exist independently—it already does. The “problem” lies in Beijing’s refusal to accept reality. By framing Taiwan’s independence as illegitimate, China exposes its own insecurity. The world should stop calling it the “Taiwan problem” and name it for what it is: the China problem.
Khedroob Thondup, a geopolitical analyst, is the nephew of the Dalai Lama.
