Concerned with Taiwan's politics and its relations with China following the election of Chen Shui-bian as President in March 2000.

Taiwan in Troubled Times is concerned with Taiwan's politics and its relations with China following the election of Chen Shui-bian as President in March 2000. This event created problems between Taiwan and China and led to political gridlock in Taiwan. The Chen Administration is evaluated in this book. So is President Chen's party, which evolved as an opposition party and is now in power but is unaccustomed to the role.

Taiwan at a Tipping Point assesses issues relating to Taiwan’s new political, economic, diplomatic and military/strategic state-of-affairs following the January 2016 national election that brought the then opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to power. This was a momentous event. The DPP won major presidential and legislative victories giving it an easy mandate to govern. Tsai Ing-wen became president. But ruling did not turn out to be easy. Tsai and the DPP had little experience managing the economy and their growth strategies did not work well. Their stances on Taiwan’s independence alienated Taiwan’s biggest trading partner and a nation that claims Taiwan is its territory, China. Beijing took revenge. Taiwan’s only ally, the United States, was confused and distracted in trying to formulate a new policy toward Taiwan. Promises President Tsai and the DPP made during the campaign, especially on reform and Taiwan’s national status, were hard to fulfill and for the most part were not. Post-election euphoria turned into dismay. Thus the question arose whether the president and the DPP would remain in power or whether the next elections would see the Nationalist Party or Kuomintang (KMT) return—though it remaining in the doldrums made this seem unlikely. Thus uncertainty characterized Taiwan post-election. Taiwan was at a turning point.

In this book the author examines how the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang or KMT) returned to govern Taiwan after ruling for more than half a century but losing power in 2000 when the opposition Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) Chen Shui-bian won the presidency and was reelected in 2004. Out of power and playing the role of opposition party the KMT won legislative and executive elections in 2008. It subsequently won mayoral elections in 2010 and elections again to the legislative and executive branches of government in 2012. The KMT returned to power by resolving internal differences between older and younger factions in the party, maintaining an alliance with friendly parties and preventing philosophical differences from mattering. It was helped by the debilitating corruption of the DPP's President Chen and good campaigning. In assessing these KMT election victories the author concludes that the KMT will probably remain the ruling party for some time. Its reputation for good economic management, democratization, honesty and good leaders seen against the DPP's still damaged reputation due to Chen's corruption, internal disagreements, its perorocial base, its inability to deal with China and the United States inhibit it from being able to return to power.

In this newly revised and updated edition of Taiwan: Nation-State or Province?, John F. Copper examines Taiwan's geography and history, society and culture, economy, political system, and foreign and security policies in the context of Taiwan's uncertain political status as either a sovereign nation or a province of the People's Republic of China. Copper argues that Taiwan's very rapid and successful democratization suggests Taiwan should be independent and separate from China, while economic links between Taiwan and China indicate the opposite. New to the sixth edition is enhanced coverage of the issues of immigration; the impact of having the world's lowest birthrate; China's economic and military rise and America's decline; Taiwan's relations with China, the United States, and Japan; and the KMT's (Nationalist Party) return to power. The new edition will also examine the implications of the 2012 presidential election. A selected bibliography guides students in further research.

In December 2001, Taiwan held an election that many observers said, in addition to the 2000 election that resulted in opposition party leader Chen Shui-bian winning the presidency, consolidated its democracy. This election made President Chen''s party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the largest party in the legislature and gave him an opportunity to implement his agenda. President Chen had not been able to do previously due to the opposition''s large legislative majority and the political gridlock that had plagued Taiwan for some months.This book examines the political milieu in which the campaign was conducted, the candidates, party platforms and strategies, the campaign, and the results of the election. It also assesses the domestic and international responses to the election and its political ramifications.The author argues that the DPP won using questionable tactics, thus diminishing its otherwise significant victory while creating doubts about the OC Taiwan political miracleOCO. The KMT lost badly. The People First Party, created by James Soong after the 2000 presidential election, performed very well in this election. Former president Lee Teng-hui helped found a new party shortly before this election to help President Chen by drawing support away from the KMT; it performed well.The author concludes that the election mirrored Taiwan''s new four-party system, which is divided into two camps. While the OC greenOCO bloc (the DPP and Lee''s new party) performed well, the OC blueOCO team (the KMT and Soong''s party) won a majority. Taiwan''s party politics, the author says, remain in flux."

In this newly revised and updated seventh edition of Taiwan: Nation-State or Province? Copper examines Taiwan's geography and history, society and culture, economy, political system and foreign and security politics in the context of Taiwan's uncertain status, as either a sovereign nation or a province of the People's Republic of China. Analyzing possible future scenarios and trends that could affect Taiwan’s status, the author argues that Taiwan's very rapid and successful democratization suggests Taiwan should be independent and separate from China, while economic links between Taiwan and China indicate the opposite. New features to this brand-new edition include: The triumph of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the 2016 elections. The impact of the Trump administration on US–Taiwan relations. The rise of popularism. The shift in cross-Strait relations with China given their increased power on the world stage. This revised and fully up-to-date textbook will be essential reading for students of Taiwan, China, US–China relations and democracy.

In this edited volume, distinguished scholars and policy analysts explore how China's rise has brought great opportunities for cooperation as well as great challenges for geo-political competition between the United States and China.

From the 1980s onwards, a tide of democratization swept across the Asian region, as the political strongmen who had led since the end of World War II began to fall. Although it is generally assumed that once authoritarian leaders no longer hold power, the political landscape will drastically change and the democratic transition will simply be a matter of time, this book shows that the move towards democracy in Asia has by no means been linear process, and there have been a number of different outcomes that reflect the vastly divergent paths towards liberalization the Asian nations have followed. This book examines seven countries that were previously under authoritarian or semi-authoritarian rule, but then followed very different trajectories towards increasing liberalization after the fall of political strongmen: South Korea, Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Importantly, the case studies reveal the factors that may enable transition to a more democratic system, and alternatively, the factors that inhibit democratic transition and push countries down a more authoritarian path. In turn, three key models that follow the fall of a political strongman emerge: democratization with substantial political reform and consolidation; democratization with limited political reform, leading to weak democratic institutions and instability; and an alternative political system with sustained authoritarianism. By tracing these very different paths and outcomes in the wake of a strongman’s fall, the contributors present valuable information for countries on the course towards democratization, as well as governments and organisations who work to facilitate this process. This book will be welcomed by students and scholars interested in Asian politics, governance and democratization studies.

Taiwan has been described as a ticking time bomb. For all the fratricidal strife that has scarred Chinese politics since 1949, Peking's leaders have never wavered from their commitment to reunification with Taiwan. There, 20 million people have witnessed one of the great economic miracles of the post-war era. But their government is founded on a constitution that claims legitimacy over all of China. In this provocative study, Simon Long looks at the historical background to China's claim to sovereignty, and at the roots of Taiwan's economic triumphs.