The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the most powerful international bodies for maintaining world peace and security. It has five permanent members (P5). They are considered as the leading nations of the world with special veto power. Currently these permanent members include America, Russia, Britain, France and China. But the story of China becoming a permanent member of the UNSC is extremely interesting and a turning point in world politics. Along with this, it is also important to know what was India’s stand at that time and what was its role on the global stage.
Background of China becoming a permanent member of UNSC
The United Nations was formed after World War II, when the world was going through a major political and military upheaval. The UN Charter was signed in 1945, and the Security Council was designated as the main decision-making body for world peace and security. China began as a permanent member of the Security Council with the Nationalist government (led by Chiang Kai-shek), then called the ‘Republic of China’ (ROC). China was in a civil war at the time.
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War lasted from 1927 to 1949. This war was fought mainly between two major parties. The Kuomintang (KMT) or Nationalist Party, led by Chiang Kai-shek. The other party was the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), led by Mao Zedong.
stages of the civil war
First phase (1927–1937): This war began in 1927 when the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) struggled for power and ideologies. During this time the CCP suffered heavy losses and was forced to go into hiding and reorganize.
Second Phase (1937-1945): In this phase, the Japanese invasion of China caused the two parties to temporarily halt their internal conflict and unite against Japan. This is known as the Sino-Japanese War, which was fought during World War II. However, tensions between the two parties remained.
Third phase (1946–1949): After the Second World War, civil war broke out again between the two parties. In this phase the CCP received support from the Soviet Union, while the KMT received support from the US. The Communist Party received massive support in rural areas, while the KMT held more sway in urban areas. Eventually the CCP gained control over the whole of China. The Chinese Civil War completely changed the political structure of China. The victory of the Communist Party made China a socialist nation and established communism, which also had a profound impact on global politics.
In 1949, with the victory of the Chinese Communist Party, Mao Tse-tung declared the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on October 1, 1949. Meanwhile, Chiang Kai-shek and his Nationalist government fled to Taiwan, where they formed the government of the Republic of China (ROC) and ruled Taiwan. To this day, Taiwan is seen as disputed territory with the PRC government of China, and the two governments have fought internationally to have themselves recognized as “China”. By 1949, Taiwan was being recognized as China in the Security Council, while the People’s Republic of China (PRC) struggled to be recognized internationally.
Recognition of the People’s Republic of China and permanent membership in the UNSC
In 1971, a historic change occurred. United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 was passed, recognising the People’s Republic of China as “China” in the UN, thus replacing the Nationalist Government (Taiwan) with the PRC. This also gave the PRC a permanent seat on the Security Council.
The resolution was passed on 25 October 1971, with 76 countries voting in favour, 35 against and 17 abstentions. The change was made possible despite opposition from the United States and some Western countries, as most developing countries and the Soviet Union supported the PRC.
The situation in India at that time
India’s position in this whole matter has been quite interesting. India was one of the first countries to recognise the People’s Republic of China since 1949. Though India-China relations came under strain after the Sino-Indian War in 1962, India did not change its support for recognising the PRC on the global stage.
India supported the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 in 1971, which gave the People’s Republic of China a place on the Security Council. India believed that all large and influential countries should be fairly represented on the global stage. India, which was part of the Non-Aligned Movement, felt that it would not be fair to exclude China and thus voted in favour of the PRC.
India and the issue of permanent membership
India was not in the race to become a permanent member at that time, but over time the question arose whether India should also be given permanent membership in the Security Council. Although India supported China’s permanent membership at that time, many analysts believe that if India had sought permanent membership itself, its position could have been different.
China’s permanent membership in the UNSC was the result of a long and complex political process, in which China’s internal conflicts and the balance of global forces contributed greatly. India played an important role in this process and voted in favor of the People’s Republic of China. However, India is still struggling to become a permanent member of the Security Council, and the question arises whether the situation would have been different if India had staked its claim at that time? China’s membership gave a new dimension to global politics and its influential position in today’s world is clearly visible. At the same time, India’s democratic structure and support for peace keep it likely to be seen as a permanent member in the future.