New Delhi: There is a common Hindi expression: "Khota Sikka chalna". It broadly means a person who we choose to ignore or feel that he/she is useless, helps us in our most dire situation. That's what Taiwan has proved to be for the world.
China and Taiwan share a strange relationship. Both claim a common nationhood but it's the ways of governing it that differentiate them. The Communist Party rules China with an iron fist whereas the small country of Taiwan is a democracy in every sense.
It was the Government of Republic of China, driven out of the mainland by Communist Party that set up its base of operations on a small island of Taiwan on 7th December 1949.
Officially they call themselves the Republic of China, the official name of China before the communist takeover.
Fast forward to today, the People's Republic of China or the China we know is the factory of the world. It controls most of the world's production of goods and trade. So naturally, it gets its way in most cases. It has not let Taiwan gain any recognition in any world organization and claims its territory to be a part of PRC.
It has also threatened to invade the island nation on more than one occasion. That was all until the pandemic of Covid19 struck the world.
After the pandemic engulfed the world, most nations blamed China for it as the origin of the disease was PRC. Whether the blame is correct or misplaced is another debate for another time. When distrust against China skyrocketed, Taiwan under Tsai Ing-wen, saw a golden opportunity to make it a diplomatic win. Taiwan offered all its expertise and technology to every nation battling the corona virus crisis. PPE kits with labels of made in Taiwan are now being extensively used all over Europe and North America.
Taiwanese doctors are helping others by sharing their experience of their own battle with the disease back home. Hashtag of #TaiwanCanHelp is trending all over the world on social media.
China doesn't like all the attention Taiwan is getting. Recently it blocked Taiwan's participation in WHO. China adheres to its long standing One China policy but the world is not so sure anymore.
Taiwan has given them an alternative to the communist ruled China and the American-led west seems eager to take it. Whatever may happen in the future, one thing is for sure, Taiwan has managed to catch the world's attention in the most dire of circumstances.
The writer is a student of International Politics at the MMAJ Academy of International Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia. Interested in both national and international politics. The views expressed are personal.
He can be contacted @shivamdoad on Twitter and @lucifer_incatnated on Instagram.
