This book investigates how China has used Taiwanese investment and treated Taiwanese investors to pursue political reunification. The book’s main supposition is that both Chinese central and local governments have strategic considerations with respect to Taiwanese businesses. Consequently, through detailed case studies of three cities: Tianjin, Kunshan and Dongguan, the author explores the changing interaction between Taiwanese businesses and the Chinese government, and seeks to provide an explanation of this changing pattern of interaction in the cross-strait political economy. Through her unique empirical research, Lee shows how Chinese local governments, although being driven by short-term goals, also contribute to the goal of achieving political reunification, and argues that central and local governments complement each other as a consequence. By stressing the importance of long-term political goals and the state’s policy interests and preferences, this research intends to address the various political implications attached to Taiwanese investment in China. This timely and important study presents some of the first systematic empirical research published in English (or any other Western language) focusing on Taiwan’s entrepreneurs (taishang) on the Chinese mainland. The book will be of interest to students and scholars of Taiwan Studies, Chinese Politics, Political Economy, Chinese Business and economics.

Ever since Chiang Kai-shek and his Kuomintang evacuated to Taiwan at the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, China and Taiwan have been divided by a fundamental and irreconcilable sovereignty dispute over Taiwan’s international status. In addition, the United States has played a central role in the rivalry between Beijing and Taipei. Despite the immutable nature of this sovereignty dispute between China and Taiwan, the triangular relations among Beijing, Taipei, and Washington have changed quite considerably over time. Over the last three decades, for example, relations in the Taiwan Strait were fairly tranquil during the 1980s and early 1990s, became much tenser from 1995 to 2008, and then reverted to amicable relations among China, Taiwan, and the United States after the election of a new Taiwanese President in 2008. This book seeks to understand and analyze the relations among China, Taiwan, and the United States in the early twenty-first century. In particular, it explores what causes change in the relations among Beijing, Taipei, and Washington and how stable the new era is likely to be. Consequently, special emphasis is placed on the factors promoting change or stability in the interactions among these three countries and upon the policy choices facing their governments. The major topics include the dynamics of the “strategic triangle” that defines cross-Strait relations (Chapters 2 to 4 and 8), the domestic politics and policies of Taiwan and China (Chapters 3 to 8), and the growing economic integration across the Taiwan Strait (Chapters 9 to 12). Overall, the future of this trilateral relationship appears to be fairly open-ended. Despite the current rapprochement, the ultimate goals of China and Taiwan remain incompatible; cross-Strait relations remain a viciously polarizing issue in Taiwan’s domestic politics; and there is profound scholarly disagreement over the broader implications of the growing economic ties across the Strait.

Located in the center of Asia with one of the largest land frontiers in the world and 14 neighbors whose dispositions could not easily be predicted, China has long been obsessed with security. In this handbook, an internationally renowned team of contributors provide a comprehensive and systematic analysis of contemporary thinking about Chinese national security. Chapters cover the PRC's historical, ideological and doctrinal heritage related to security, its security arrangements and policies targeting key regions and nations of the world, the security aspects of the PRC's ground, air, sea, space and cyber forces, as well as the changing and expanding definition and scope of China's security theory and practice.

There can be no doubt that China’s economic and political rise is having a stronger effect on Taiwan than on any other country, given the Chinese government’s claim to sovereignty over Taiwan, and Taiwan’s quest to maintain its democratic achievements and political identity as a sovereign state. Against this background, this volume deals with the ‘bigger picture’ of evolving relations across the Taiwan Strait, departing from the observation that China’s impact on Taiwan has become stronger over the last 20 years. This book analyses the ‘China impact’ on Taiwan in terms of its social, political and security space from both an empirical and conceptual point of view. It is the first comprehensive account of China’s multifaceted impact on the politics and society of contemporary Taiwan, written by renowned scholars from Taiwan, Europe and the U.S. The book covers a wide range of topics including Taiwan’s party alignment, elections, generational politics, cross-strait political economy, immigration policy and security. The contributors, political scientists and sociologists, highlight both the dangers and the opportunities of the ‘China impact’ for Taiwan and draw a realistic picture of the island republic’s current situation and future options in the shadow of its giant neighbour. Based on qualitative and quantitative data, this volume intends to fill a gap in the Taiwan studies field by studying the ‘China impact’ on Taiwan’s politics and society systematically and from a comparative perspective. By doing so, it will be of great interest to students and scholars of Taiwan studies, and East Asian politics and society more generally.

This book offers a substantive assessment of the first Tsai Ing-wen administration, investigating different policy fields and issues from 2016 to 2020, prior to Tsai’s election for a second term. Providing a balanced account of government performance under Tsai’s Ing-wen’s reign, chapters in this edited volume combine theory and extensive empirical data to highlight both achievements and shortfalls of her administration. Chapters range comprehensively from topics of the implementation of same-sex marriage, curriculum reform, ‘transitional justice’, industrial policy and pension reform, which have been celebrated by domestic Tsai Ing-wen supporters, but have also met with considerable opposition from within Taiwanese society. Externally, cross-strait relations, the New Southbound Policy and the triangular relationship with China and the USA, which embodied major challenges for Tsai’s first administration, are also analysed as key reference points throughout. Featuring contributions from twenty six internationally renowned Taiwan scholars, Taiwan During the First Administration of Tsai Ing-wen is an essential resource for students and scholars of Taiwanese politics and society, cross-strait relations and international relations.

This book offers a diverse set of perspectives on the current state of Taiwan’s economy and international relations, equally considering the challenges and opportunities that could forge Taiwan’s future. Featuring a range of interdisciplinary approaches, this edited volume has been written by some of the leading scholars on Taiwan’s economy and international relations, as well as emerging scholars and writers with practical diplomatic, political, and civil society experience. Contributors cover themes from political economy and international relations to gender studies and civil society-led LGBT diplomacy. Readers will benefit from chapters outlining both the historical overview of Taiwan’s development and more recent developments, with several chapters offering focused case studies into Taiwan’s economy and international space. A balanced set of conclusions are reached, affording scope for both optimism and pessimism about Taiwan’s prospects. Taiwan's Economic and Diplomatic Challenges and Opportunities will appeal to students and scholars of international relations, economics, and Taiwan studies.

The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Taiwan offers a comprehensive overview of both contemporary Taiwan and the Taiwan studies field. Each contribution summarises the major findings in the field and highlights long-term trends, recent observations and possible future developments in Taiwan. Written by an international team of experts, the chapters included in the volume form an accessible and fascinating insight into contemporary Taiwan. Up-to-date, interdisciplinary, and academically rigorous, the Handbook will be of interest to students, academics, policymakers and others in search of reliable information on Taiwanese politics, economics, culture and society.

This edited volume discusses the contest and contestation between China and Taiwan for diplomatic recognition and supremacy on the African continent. Written by a diverse group of international scholars, this volume provides insight into five interlocking questions and areas: the origins of China and Taiwan’s continent-wide competition for supremacy; China and Taiwan’s foreign policy towards Africa during and after the Cold War; the shift in dominance from Taiwan to China; the changing allegiances of African governments; and the implications of ongoing China-Africa-Taiwan relations on the global system, especially on countries in the Global South. This book is divided into three parts. Part One deals primarily with the early history of both Chinas on the continent. Chapters in Part Two discuss the foreign policy of China and Taiwan toward the African continent. Part Three focuses on the shifting alliances and diplomatic allegiance of African countries towards the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC). Filling the gap in Africa-China-Taiwan studies, this volume will be of interest to researchers and students in the social sciences especially political science, comparative politics, international relations, foreign policy, politics of developing nations, area studies, and Taiwanese/Chinese studies.

This book gives an overview of key themes domestically and internationally from the 19th Communist Party Congress held in Beijing in October 2017, setting out the main policy priorities for the Xi government in China as the country moves towards fulfillment of the first Centenary Goal, the hundredth anniversary of the Communist Party of China in 2021.Written as the first full length analysis by an international group of authors of different aspects of the Congress, making it perfect for graduate students and researchers, as well as individuals interested in China Studies.

The Republic of China that retreated to Taiwan in 1949 maintains its de facto, if not de jure, in- dependence yet Beijing has consistently refused formally to abandon the idea of reunifying Taiwan with China. As well as growing military pressure, the PRC's irredentist policy is premised on encouraging cross-Straits economic integration. Responding to preferential measures, Taiwanese industrialists have invested massively in the PRC, often relocating their businesses there. Fragments of a nation torn apart by contradictory claims, these entrepreneurs are vectors of a new form of unification imposed by the main- land, promoted but postponed on the island by the Nationalist Party, and rejected by Taiwanese pro-independence parties. Within what can be described as an unfinished civil war, socio-economic dynamics remain embedded in conflicts over sovereignty. Trans- national actors have freed themselves from security constraints, thereby benefiting economically from a reformist China, and ultimately restructuring politics in Taiwan itself, and, in so doing, relations between Beijing and Taipei. A fictitious depoliticization has governed the opening of the Sino-Taiwanese border in order to postpone any resolution of the sovereignty issue. Mengin's startlingly original book highlights the competing, and fragmented, elements within one of the world's most intractable territorial disputes.