ABSTRACT
Based on the “One China” concept, the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China (mainland China) come up with similar articulation on the claim of sovereignty over the U-shaped line in the South China Sea (SCS). Over the past few decades, the changing relation between Republic of China (ROC) and People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the transformation of the SCS situation define how they would interplay. This chapter examines cross-strait interplay on the SCS issues and envisages future development under the circumstance of worsening the cross-strait relation today. When both Beijing and Taipei follow their constitutional courses, the SCS issue would be of similarity in policy presentation. However, if Taipei considers that a new political course may tend to revolutionize the existing constitution, common grounds in the SCS would be eliminated dramatically with Beijing. Lately, as the US-China strategic competition intensifies further during US President Donald Trump’s regime, Taiwan risks strategic uncertainty in the SCS and the Taiwan Strait.
