Editing Taiwan independence movement (section)

=== Multiparty period ===
After the lifting of martial law in 1987, and the acceptance of multi-party politics, the [[Democratic Progressive Party]] became increasingly identified with Taiwan independence, which entered its party platform in 1991. At the same time, many overseas independence advocates and organizations returned to Taiwan and for the first time openly promoted their cause in Taiwan, gradually building up political support. Many had previously fled to the US or Europe and had been on a [[Blacklisting|blacklist]] held by [[KMT]], which had held them back from going back to Taiwan. Where they had fled, they built many organisations like [[European Federation of Taiwanese Associations]] or [[Formosan Association for Public Affairs]]. By the late 1990s, DPP and Taiwan independence have gained a solid electoral constituency in Taiwan, supported by an increasingly vocal and hardcore base.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}

[[File:UN-for-Taiwan banner 20080127.jpg|thumb|200px|Banner displaying the slogan "UN for Taiwan"]]
As the electoral success of the DPP, and later, the DPP-led Pan-Green Coalition grew in recent years, the Taiwan independence movement shifted focus to [[identity politics]] by proposing many plans involving [[symbol]]ism and [[social engineering (political science)|social engineering]]. The reinterpretation of historical events such as the [[February 28 Incident]], the use of broadcast language and mother tongue education in schools, the official name and flag of the ROC, slogans in the army, orientation of maps all have been issues of concern to the present-day Taiwan independence movement activists. 

The movement, at its peak in the 70s through the 90s in the form of the [[Taiwan literature movement]] and other cultural upheavals, has moderated in recent years with the assimilation of these changes. Friction between "mainlander" and "native" communities on Taiwan has decreased due to shared interests: increasing economic ties with mainland China, continuing threats by the PRC to invade, and doubts as to whether or not the United States would support a unilateral declaration of independence. Since the late 1990s many supporters of Taiwan independence have argued that Taiwan, as the ROC, is already independent from the mainland, making a formal declaration unnecessary. In May 1999, the [[Democratic Progressive Party]] formalized this position in its "[[Resolution on Taiwan's Future]]".{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}

==== Lee Teng-hui administration (1988–2000) ====
In 1995, Taiwanese president Lee Teng-hui was given permission to speak at Cornell University about his dream of Taiwanese independence, the first time a Taiwanese leader had been allowed to visit the United States. This led to a [[1996 Taiwan crisis|military response from China]] that included buying Russian submarines and conducting missile tests near Taiwan.<ref>{{Cite journal |url = http://peggy.hsieh.free.fr/THESE/new%20reference/FA-Ross.pdf |title = Taiwan's Fading Independence Movement |last = Ross |first = Robert S. |date = March–April 2006 |journal = Foreign Affairs |volume = 85 |issue = 2 |pages = 141–148 |doi =  10.2307/20031917|jstor = 20031917 |access-date = 25 March 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150402131417/http://peggy.hsieh.free.fr/THESE/new%20reference/FA-Ross.pdf |archive-date = 2 April 2015 |url-status = live }}</ref>

==== Chen Shui-bian administration (2000–2008) ====
[[File:Republic of China (Taiwan) Passport 2020.svg|thumb|284x284px|[[Taiwan passport|Republic of China passport]] mentioning Taiwan since 2003 in order to distinguish it from the [[Chinese passport|People's Republic of China passport]]. In 2020, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched a redesigned passport that highlights "Taiwan"<ref>{{Cite news|department=Reuters Staff|date=11 January 2021|title=Taiwan's new passport hopes to banish confusion with China|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-passport-idUSKBN29G0I4|access-date=13 May 2021|archive-date=13 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513204757/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-passport-idUSKBN29G0I4|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=MOFA to release new passport to highlight TAIWAN in January 2021 |url=https://www.boca.gov.tw/cp-220-5862-75d57-2.html |access-date=4 Aug 2023 |agency=Bureau Of Consular Affairs |date=2020-09-04 |archive-date=30 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231130102144/https://www.boca.gov.tw/cp-220-5862-75d57-2.html |url-status=live }}</ref>]]
[[File:台灣護照.jpg|thumbnail|200px|An example of a "Taiwan passport", which is typically not accepted in place of the R.O.C. passport]]
In February 2007, President [[Chen Shui-bian]] initiated changes to names of state-owned enterprises, and the nation's embassies and overseas representative offices. As a result, [[Chunghwa Post]] Co. ({{lang|zh-Hant-TW|中華郵政}}) was renamed Taiwan Post Co. ({{lang|zh-Hant-TW|臺灣郵政}}) and Chinese Petroleum Corporation ({{lang|zh-Hant-TW|中國石油}}) is now called ''[[CPC Corporation, Taiwan]]'' ({{lang|zh-Hant-TW|臺灣中油}}) and the signs in Taiwan's embassies now display the word "Taiwan" in brackets after "[[Republic of China]]".<ref name="remark7">{{cite news|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/02/12/2003348683|author=Jewel Huang|newspaper=Taipei Times|title=Analysis: Name changes reflect increasing 'Taiwan identity'|page=3|date=12 February 2007|access-date=10 March 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071111075130/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/02/12/2003348683|archive-date=11 November 2007|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2007, the Taiwan Post Co. issued stamps bearing the name "Taiwan" in remembrance of the [[February 28 Incident]]. However, the name of the post office was reverted to "Chunghwa Post Co." following the inauguration of [[Kuomintang]] president Ma Ying-jeou in 2008.

The Pan-Blue camp voiced its opposition to the changes and the former [[KMT]] Chairman [[Ma Ying-jeou]] said that it would generate diplomatic troubles and cause cross-strait tensions. It also argued that without a change in the relevant legislation pertaining to state-owned enterprises, the name changes of these enterprises could not be valid. As the Pan-Blue camp held only a slim parliamentary majority throughout the administration of President Chen, the Government's motion to change the law to this effect were blocked by the opposition. Later, U.S. Department of State spokesman [[Sean McCormack]] said that the U.S. does not support administrative steps that would appear to change the status-quo by either Taipei or Beijing as threats to regional security.<ref>{{Cite web|title=US Says Taiwanese President's Independence Remarks 'Unhelpful'|url=https://www.voanews.com/archive/us-says-taiwanese-presidents-independence-remarks-unhelpful|access-date=13 May 2021|website=Voice of America|language=en|archive-date=13 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513203040/https://www.voanews.com/archive/us-says-taiwanese-presidents-independence-remarks-unhelpful|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Former president [[Lee Teng-hui]] has stated that he never pursued Taiwanese independence. Lee views Taiwan as already an independent state, and that the call for "Taiwanese independence" could even confuse the international community by implying that Taiwan once viewed itself as part of China. From this perspective, Taiwan is independent even if it remains unable to enter the UN. Lee said the most important goals are to improve the people's livelihoods, build national consciousness, make a formal name change and draft a new constitution that reflects the present reality so that Taiwan can officially identify itself as a country.<ref name="remark8">{{cite news|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2007/03/10/2003351724|newspaper=Taipei Times|title=Pan-green bickering takes focus off issues|page=8|date=10 March 2007|access-date=10 March 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070502034704/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2007/03/10/2003351724|archive-date=2 May 2007|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Ma Ying-jeou administration (2008–2016) ====
[[2008 Republic of China legislative election|Legislative elections]] were held on 12 January 2008, resulting in a [[supermajority]] (86 of the 113 seats) in the legislature for the [[Kuomintang]] (KMT) and the [[Pan-Blue Coalition]]. President [[Chen Shui-bian]]'s [[Democratic Progressive Party]] was handed a heavy defeat, winning only the remaining 27 seats. The junior partner in the [[Pan-Green Coalition]], the [[Taiwan Solidarity Union]], won no seats.

Two months later, the [[2008 Republic of China presidential election|election for the 12th-term President and Vice-President of the Republic of China]] was held on Saturday, 22 March 2008.<ref>[http://udn.com/NEWS/NATIONAL/NAT1/3918552.shtml]{{dead link|date=March 2019}}</ref> KMT nominee [[Ma Ying-jeou]] won, with 58% of the vote, ending eight years of [[Democratic Progressive Party]] rule.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ma Ying-jeou sworn in as Taiwan's president |url=http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=659323&lang=eng_news&cate_img=&cate_rss=news_Politics_TAIWAN |agency=[[Central News Agency (Republic of China)|Central News Agency]] |date=20 May 2008 |access-date=17 February 2010 |archive-date=25 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725202429/http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=659323&lang=eng_news&cate_img=&cate_rss=news_Politics_TAIWAN |url-status=live }}</ref> Along with the [[2008 Republic of China legislative election|2008 legislative election]], Ma's landslide victory brought the Kuomintang back to power in Taiwan.

On 1 August 2008, the Board of Directors of Taiwan Post Co. resolved to reverse the name change and restored the name "Chunghwa Post".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.post.gov.tw|title=中華郵政全球資訊網|last=中華郵政股份有限公司|date=25 December 2007|website=www.post.gov.tw|access-date=12 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821232557/http://www.post.gov.tw/post/internet/u_english/index.jsp?ID=21|archive-date=21 August 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> The Board of Directors, as well as resolving to restore the name of the corporation, also resolved to re-hire the chief executive dismissed in 2007, and to withdraw defamation proceedings against him.<ref>[http://news.chinatimes.com/2007Cti/2007Cti-Focus/2007Cti-Focus-Content/0,4518,9708010261+97080116+0+151053+0,00.html 台灣郵政改回中華郵政] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100514181524/http://news.chinatimes.com/2007Cti/2007Cti-Focus/2007Cti-Focus-Content/0,4518,9708010261+97080116+0+151053+0,00.html |date=14 May 2010 }} (Taiwan Post changes back to Chunghwa Post)</ref>

On 2 September 2008, President Ma defined the relations between Taiwan and mainland China as "[[special non-state-to-state relations|special]]", but "not that between two states" – they are relations based on two areas of one state, with Taiwan considering that state to be the Republic of China, and mainland China considering that state to be the People's Republic of China.<ref>{{cite news |title = Taiwan and China in 'special relations': Ma |newspaper = China Post |date = 4 September 2008 |url = http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/china-taiwan%20relations/2008/09/04/173082/Taiwan-and.htm |access-date = 18 November 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080906092524/http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/china-taiwan%20relations/2008/09/04/173082/Taiwan-and.htm |archive-date = 6 September 2008 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ma refers to China as ROC territory in magazine interview |newspaper=Taipei Times |date=8 October 2008 |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/10/08/2003425320 |access-date=18 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603213128/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/10/08/2003425320 |archive-date=3 June 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Ma's approach with the mainland is conspicuously evasive of political negotiations that may lead to unification which
is the mainland's ultimate goal. The National Unification Guidelines remain "frozen" and Ma precluded any discussion of unification during his term by his "three no's" (no unification, no independence, and no use of force).<ref>{{cite web|title=Heading towards Troubled Waters? The Impact of Taiwan's 2016 Elections on Cross-Strait Relations|author1-link=Wu Yu-shan|author1=Yu-Shan Wu|url=https://assets.aspeninstitute.org/content/uploads/2016/03/2016-China-CR.-Bejing.Nanjing.pdf#page=85|page=80|access-date=13 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012014508/https://assets.aspeninstitute.org/content/uploads/2016/03/2016-China-CR.-Bejing.Nanjing.pdf#page=85|archive-date=12 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Tsai Ing-wen and Lai Ching-te administration (2016–present) ====
The Democratic Progressive Party, led by [[Tsai Ing-wen]], won a landslide victory over the Kuomintang in [[2016 Taiwanese presidential election|2016]] and was reelected in [[2020 Taiwanese presidential election|2020]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Chung|first1=Lawrence Gan|last2=Chan|first2=Minnie|last3=Liu|first3=Zhen|last4=Gan|first4=Nectar|title=Taiwan's first female president Tsai Ing-wen warns China after landslide victory|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1901895/taiwans-first-female-president-tsai-ing-wen-warns-china|access-date=16 December 2016|work=South China Morning Post|date=17 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170404084907/http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1901895/taiwans-first-female-president-tsai-ing-wen-warns-china|archive-date=4 April 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Page|first1=Jeremy|last2=Hsu|first2=Jenny W.|last3=Dou|first3=Eva|title=Taiwan Elects Tsai Ing-wen as First Female President|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/taiwans-historic-election-set-to-test-china-ties-1452925430|access-date=16 December 2016|work=Wall Street Journal|date=16 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220182229/http://www.wsj.com/articles/taiwans-historic-election-set-to-test-china-ties-1452925430|archive-date=20 December 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Her administration stated that it sought to maintain the current political status of Taiwan.<ref>{{cite news|title=Taiwanese President Tsai: Taiwan Won't Succumb to China's Pressure|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2016/10/05/taiwanese-president-tsai-taiwan-wont-succumb-to-chinas-pressure/|access-date=16 December 2016|work=Wall Street Journal|date=5 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221092856/http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2016/10/05/taiwanese-president-tsai-taiwan-wont-succumb-to-chinas-pressure/|archive-date=21 December 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Loa|first1=Iok-sin|title=DPP says new government will maintain 'status quo'|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2016/02/27/2003640312|access-date=16 December 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=27 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220142500/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2016/02/27/2003640312|archive-date=20 December 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The PRC government continued to criticize the ROC government, as the DPP administration has continued to not officially recognize the [[1992 Consensus]] and the [[One-China policy|One China]] policy.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chen |first1=Dingding |author-link=Dingding Chen |date=25 May 2016 |title=Without Clarity on 1992 Consensus, Tsai and DPP Will Face Challenges Ahead |work=The Diplomat |url=https://thediplomat.com/2016/05/without-clarity-on-1992-consensus-tsai-and-dpp-will-face-challenges-ahead/ |url-status=live |access-date=16 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220151314/https://thediplomat.com/2016/05/without-clarity-on-1992-consensus-tsai-and-dpp-will-face-challenges-ahead/ |archive-date=20 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Beijing threatens to end communication with Taiwan if it pursues independence|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/hoy-san-diego/sdhoy-beijing-threatens-to-end-communication-with-2016may21-story.html|access-date=16 December 2016|work=San Diego Union Tribune|date=21 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171005202605/http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/hoy-san-diego/sdhoy-beijing-threatens-to-end-communication-with-2016may21-story.html|archive-date=5 October 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> 

[[Lai Ching-te]], the Democratic Progressive Party candidate, won the presidential election in [[2024 Taiwanese presidential election|2024]]. During the campaign period, Lai asserted Taiwanese sovereignty, but said a formal declaration of independence would be unnecessary and favored maintaining the status quo.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 August 2023 |title=Presidential hopeful Lai says Taiwan's sovereignty is 'a fact' |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/25/taiwan-vice-president-emphasises-islands-autonomy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240113054053/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/25/taiwan-vice-president-emphasises-islands-autonomy |archive-date=13 January 2024 |access-date=2024-01-13 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref> He also said he would be willing to work with the [[Government of China|Chinese government]], but only if they renounce any intentions to use force against Taiwan.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |date=2023-08-15 |title=Can Taiwan's Next Leader Keep the Peace? |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-08-15/taiwan-vice-president-lai-ching-te-on-the-status-quo-with-china |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230906114456/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-08-15/taiwan-vice-president-lai-ching-te-on-the-status-quo-with-china |archive-date=6 September 2023 |access-date=2024-01-13 |work=Bloomberg.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite magazine |date=2023-11-21 |title=Taiwan's Presidential Frontrunner Faces a Balancing Act With China |url=https://time.com/6336441/taiwan-presidental-election-william-lai-profile/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240113133524/https://time.com/6336441/taiwan-presidental-election-william-lai-profile/ |archive-date=13 January 2024 |access-date=2024-01-13 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |language=en}}</ref>