Boarder Conflicts

Question 1

Taiwan

Answer 1

After the second world war there was a Civil War on the Chinese mainland. Japan occupied the territory of Taiwan since 1895 but was forced to leave as a result of it defeat
Many capitalist have fled to Taiwan and established a pro western market economy. Economic success of Taiwan followed and Taiwan became the original Asian tiger economy. Its current population is 21.5 million and its GDP per capita is three times of China’s.

Taiwan became a democracy in 2000

Descendants of those who fled from China currently make up 15% of the population

Question 2

China and Taiwan

Answer 2

China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province that allows to retake by force necessary
China do not recognise Taiwan as a state
However Taiwan leaders say it is more than a province arguing as a sovereign state with his own constitution Democrat elected leader and 400,000 troops

Taiwan has most of the characteristics of an independence state

The majority of the inhabitants view themselves is Taiwanese rather than Chinese

Question 3

USA and Taiwan

Answer 3

The US is Taiwan’s most important ally
They supply Taiwan with weapons

There is no formal military defence pact though

Question 4

Crimea

Answer 4

Became a part of the Russian empire in 1783 and remained until 1954
It was briefly occupied by the Germans and World War II

In 1954 Crimea became a part of Ukraine at the time Ukraine was a member of the USSR so was governed by Moscow

The break up of the USSR in 1991 led to independence for Ukraine many Crimean Tatas began to return to the region

Ukraine allowed Russia to lease the Sevastopol base until 1942 and exchange for cheaper gas imports

In 2014 Ukraine’s pro Russian president was defeated in the general election. The new pro-resting government began exploring membership of the EU and NATO.

Russia sees control of Crimea in 2014 and threatened to cut off Ukraine gas supplies. Crimea had a referendum and the Russian speaking majority voted to join Russia 800,000 ethnic Ukrainians flat. The territory Russel has 50,000 troops in crime and is constructing one of the world’s longest bridge is to directly link with Russian territory.

The West views the referendum as a legal and has introduced economic sanctions

Question 5

The Irish border

Answer 5

Following the Irish war independence island was partitioned largely based on religious deviations

Six counties in the north remained part of the UK and had a protestant majority and believed in the union with the UK

The 26th Southern counties had a significant catholic minority and became an independence state known as the Republic of Ireland

Free travel area was established and a border with custom checks existed between 1923 and 1993 with relatively low-key checks

The border was abolished in 1993 because of the introduction of the single marker

Question 6

Irish troubles

Answer 6

A period of violent conflict that began in the north in 1969

Catholics were largely discriminated against in the housing and employment sectors
It was very difficult for Catholics to access proportion of political power and a number of civil rights matches ended in violence

The Irish army announced they would use forced to protect the rights of Catholics to aim to issue a united Ireland

The UK government responded by sending in British troops to keep the peace and the troubles lasted almost 30 years and clean the lives of 2500 people

Question 7

The Good Friday agreement

Answer 7

1998
Largely ended in violence
The UK stated it has no specific strategic interest in Northern Ireland
All sides agreed to except a united ireland
The UK withdrew troops
Northern Ireland was given political powers

Question 8

The Irish border

Answer 8

310 miles long
200 crossing points
175000 lorries and 1.8 million cars cross the border every month
30,000 people cross the border to work every day