Reaching Across The Taiwan Strait

Throughout the book, the author looks at unofficial relations between the two countries in such areas as travel; trade and investment; media, sports, and cultural exchanges; and the problems created for each country by piracy, smuggling, and illegal immigration across the Taiwan Strait. In addition to discussing Taiwan's efforts to improve its international status and the PRC's attempts to block them, Clough shows how cross-Strait relations have been affected by the transition from authoritarian to democratic government in Taiwan, where the newly founded opposition party has vigorously advocated Taiwan independence. The author concludes by assessing the implications of the evolving relationship between Taiwan and the PRC for the United States.

First Published in 1999. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Throughout the book, the author looks at unofficial relations between the two countries in such areas as travel; trade and investment; media, sports, and cultural exchanges; and the problems created for each country by piracy, smuggling, and illegal immigration across the Taiwan Strait. In addition to discussing Taiwan's efforts to improve its international status and the PRC's attempts to block them, Clough shows how cross-Strait relations have been affected by the transition from authoritarian to democratic government in Taiwan, where the newly founded opposition party has vigorously advocated Taiwan independence. The author concludes by assessing the implications of the evolving relationship between Taiwan and the PRC for the United States.

The end of the Cold War has regrettably not brought an end to all the major confrontations of the last century. One such confrontation is the stand-off across the Taiwan Strait. Despite increasingly interwoven economic links between the People's Republic of China and Taiwan in recent years, the tension between the two has not dissipated. Tsang and a group of international experts examine the subject of peace and security across the Taiwan Strait and suggest models for peace.

In this timely book, distinguished analyst Ralph Clough assesses the intractable differences between Beijing and Taipei, the rise of an opposition party advocating Taiwan independence, and BeijingOs threat to use military force. At the same time, he weighs the moderating influence of investment and trade across the Taiwan Strait and the reopening of cross-strait dialogue. The author argues that the United States can best minimize the risk of conflict with a policy of ambiguity that retains the flexibility to intervene militarily or not as circumstances dictate and that at the same time gives more active approval and support to cooperation between the people and governments on both sides of the straight.

Despite the significance of the Taiwan issue to US-China relations as well as regional stability in the Asia-Pacific, one could hardly find a comprehensive and thorough study of China''s Taiwan policy. This book aims to make up for the deficit by providing a systematic and in-depth analysis of the evolution of China''s Taiwan policy over the past six decades, against the backdrop of a three-player game involving Beijing, Washington and Taipei. The intention is to show that despite Beijing''s uncompromising adherence to the One-China principle, China''s leaders have maintained remarkable flexibility in interpreting and implementing it. Moreover, while domestic factors (e.g., nationalistic sentiment, political stability, and economic development) do affect Beijing''s calculus, China''s Taiwan policy invariably accords with the ups and downs in its international environment, especially the complexities of the US-China relations.

The relationship between Taiwan and China is a paradox. On the one hand, the two economies are becoming increasingly integrated, as Taiwanese companies have come to regard the mainland as the best place to manufacture their products and maintain global competitiveness. On the other hand, the long-running and changing political dispute between the two governments remains unresolved. Each side fears the intentions of the other and is acquiring military capabilities to deter disaster. In its pursuit of peace in the Taiwan Strait, the United States could get drawn into a war between the two rivals. Richard C. Bush, whose career has been dedicated to Taiwan-China issues, explores the conflicts between these nations and the difficulties that must be resolved. Disagreements over sovereignty and security form the core of the dispute. What would be the legal status and international role of the Taiwan government in a future unified China? Given China's growing military power, how could Taiwan feel secure? Complicating these issues are domestic politics and international competition, as well as misperceptions on both sides. Thus multiple obstacles prevent the two sides from even getting to the negotiating table, much less reaching a mutually acceptable resolution. For reasons of policy and politics, the United States is constrained from a central role. To begin with, it must provide China with some reassurance about its policy in order to secure cooperation on foreign policy issues. At the same time, it must bolster Taiwan's political confidence and military deterrence while discouraging provocative actions. The arcane nature of this dispute severely restricts the role of the United States as conflict mediator. But if there is to be any solution to this conflict, the comprehensive analysis that this book provides will be required reading for effective policy.