Suchergebnisse

Taiwan is undergoing both a process of nation building and a phase of democratic consolidation, and the experience of divided government at the national level together with Taiwan's unresolved relationship with China have further complicated matters. The end result of these developments will, therefore, have enormous political consequences both for the island, as well as for the peace and stability of eastern Asia. This special issue aims to examine two separate, but closely related, issues: the effects of an emerging national identity in Taiwan and the consequences of the island's rapid democratization. This introduction summarizes the key arguments of this collection of articles.

Generational succession in leadership is always an important event because the differences in formative experiences of a new generation can result in radically different policies and views of the world. The recent leadership transition in China thus deserves scholarly attention. In the aftermath of the Sixteenth Party Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, this edited volume aims to examine the "prospects and challenges" for China's new leaders in the areas of elite politics, political reform, democratization, the economy, the military, Sino-U.S. relations, and cross-Strait interactions. This introductory chapter summarizes the key arguments of this collection of articles.

In responding to perceived new threats in the post-Cold War era, the US is now collaborating with Japan to deploy a theater missile defense (TMD) system in Northeast Asia. Confronting a mounting military threat from the People's Republic of China (PRC), Taipei has seized on Washington's program as an opportunity to acquire antimilitary capability from the US. Interpreting US & Taiwanese actions as attempts to contain the PRC & to undermine unification efforts with Taiwan, Beijing leaders strongly object both to the deployment of TMD in Northeast Asia & to the introduction of the related technology & equipment into Taipei. While Washington will continue its plan of deploying TMD, it is taking an ambiguous position regarding Taiwan's access to missile defense technology & equipment by deferring the sale of AEGIS destroyers to Taipei. The Clinton administration's ambiguous policy represents an unbalanced approach to cross-Strait relations & could inadvertently precipitate a dangerous crisis in the Taiwan Strait. Adapted from the source document.