New Thinking About the Taiwan Issue: Theoretical Insights Into Its Origins, Dynamics, and Prospects

The China-Taiwan relationship was one of the most fractious in East Asia during the first decade of the 2000s. Many fretted about the high level of cross-Strait tension, especially given the involvement of other players such as the US and Japan. Indeed, some raised the specter of war between Beijing and Taipei, which might lead the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the US into a nuclear conflict. Starting in 2008, however, there was a massive transformation of the bilateral relationship after the election of Ma Ying-jeou and electoral gains by the Kuomintang (KMT). Since that time the PRC and Taiwan have significantly expanded their political, economic, and social linkages and given new hope that the rapprochement begun in 2008 may lead to new levels of integration.This book brings together a number of distinguished scholars from the US, Asia, and Europe who use the latest political science and international relations thinking to provide insights into the origins, recent dynamics, and prospects of the Taiwan Issue. It clearly illuminates why there is a "Taiwan Problem," why conflict did not escalate to war between 2000 and 2008, and why cross-Strait relations improved after 2008. The book reveals the limits of realism as a device to gain traction into the Taiwan issue, demonstrates the importance of taking into account domestic political variables, and shows how theory can be used to advance the cause of better China-Taiwan relations and to analyze the potential for future conflict over Taiwan.