The South China Sea's Gathering Storm

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Originally Posted by etudiant

China and Taiwan both agree that they are part of China, as also the US from back when Kissinger reopened US/PRC relations.
The situation has evolved in the past 50 years, but afaik, Taiwan still views itself as the legitimate Chinese government.
That complicates the legalities for any US intervention if Taiwan and Beijing get into a conflict.

'China and Taiwan both agree that they are part of China..'

No they don't.

The KMT thinks it is part of China IF China is under the authority of the KMT. The KMT is pretty much a spent force now as the DPP more Pro-independence is in the ascendency. And more young people are pro Taiwan not pro-China. Plus since any realpolitik of the 1970's China may have developed economically it has not with regard to Human Rights & Democracy. Whereas Taiwan is a full democracy and progressive and open (it was not in the 1970's and martial law didn't end until 1987). Thus the One China Policy existed because of conditions in the early 70's which do not remotely reflect the situation in 2021.