Status for Sale: Taiwan and the Competition for Diplomatic Recognition

Abstract

Diplomatic recognition is generally seen as fundamental to the modern state system. The traditional views of recognition however focus almost exclusively on political or ideological rationales, ignoring other foundations on which other countries base establishing diplomatic recognition. Focusing on the Republic of China (Taiwan) suggests a more complicated view where economic self-interest on one side and national pride on the other may undermine traditional conceptions of recognition.\nUsing the ROC-PRC diplomatic battle as a case study, this paper hopes to shed light on two questions: why, despite the PRC`s rise as a global power, a country would continue to formally recognize the ROC and secondly what does the ROC receive in exchange for such high-cost endeavors to maintain recognition. In this case mutual ideological rationales have greatly diminished while I contend that economic factors have predominantly maintained this diplomatic battle. In addition, previous research often focuses on major world powers granting or withholding formal recognition to smaller states. In this situation, poor countries with typically little political influence are the major players, suggesting different rationales behind recognition. Methodologically, this paper blends qualitative and quantitative analysis to uncover factors affecting recognition. The existing literature is almost entirely qualitative, focusing only on relations between two countries or within a particular region. Furthermore, most studies only cover a short time span, usually no more than a decade. This paper intends to analyze most of the post-civil war period, identifying broad trends which may be overlooked in previous research.