50 POINTS PLEASEE HELPP!! Explain the debate over whether China and Taiwan are one state or two. Describe the challenges to Taiwan's legitimacy.

The controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan, sometimes referred to as the Taiwan Issue or Taiwan Strait Issue, or from a Taiwanese perspective as the Mainland Issue, is a result of the Chinese Civil War and the subsequent split of China into the two present-day self-governing entities of the People's

Explanation:

Taiwan’s international status has been in limbo for decades. The government in Taipei, which formerly represented China in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), is today left with only approximately 20 diplomatic allies and struggles against long odds to gain access to international organizations. At present Taiwan is not widely recognized as an independent state, but it has been effectively self-governed by the government of the Republic of China (ROC) for over 60 years and has boasted a democratic government for the last 15 years. In its relationship to China it enjoys what is commonly referred to as status quo, an equilibrium which allows for much flexibility but which also curtails Taiwan’s possibilities to become a full-fledged international actor.

Currently, Taiwan’s international situation does not appear to be too dire: relations with China are more constructive than they have ever been before. A “diplomatic truce” has stabilized the number of countries that formally recognize Taiwan. Taiwan has also established informal relations with a large number of other countries. Moreover Taiwan participates in a number of international organizations: for instance, in 2002 it became a full member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) alongside China, and also in 2009 it obtained a seat as an observer in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) highest decision-making body, the World Health Assembly (WHA).

This article provides a long-term overview of the development of Taiwan’s international status as a background for an analysis of current problems and suggestions of policy choices in light of the upcoming presidential election in 2012. A fundamental question is, how much longer can Taiwan uphold its ambiguous status quo in the international arena, and what are the government’s options?

im very confused but i would say that the answer is 1 i think.