Development Of Cross-strait Relations Research Articles

Beijing’s New Strategies toward a Changing Taiwan

Beijing’s new strategies toward Taiwan are informed by neo-functionalism derived from European experiences, assuming that economic integration will eventually lead to political accommodation and integration. Despite the surprising Sunflower Movement and the fiasco of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in the 2014 local elections, Beijing will try its best to maintain the momentum of peaceful development of cross-Strait relations. Facing a brand new Taiwan that seems an oddity to the mainland, however, Beijing has adapted to ‘the new normal’ with a slower pace, refocusing on the economic and cultural issues. Whether or to what degree Beijing will change its asymmetric engagements with the two main parties on the island, however, is contingent upon whether the KMT and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) can reach a balance of power domestically and whether their policies toward the mainland converge rather than diverge. At any rate, Beijing is likely to pay more attention to ordinary people’s feelings about cross-Strait economic and cultural exchanges and consider quality of cross-Strait exchange as more important than quantity of activities.

The Art of Diplomacy: The Role of Exhibitions in the Development of Taiwan–China Relations

Abstract In 2009 and 2011, Taiwan’s premier public art museum, the Taipei Fine Arts Museum presented two major solo exhibitions by prominent Chinese artists Cai Guo-Qiang and Ai Weiwei. These exhibitions signified a critical juncture in museological practice in Taiwan and they were closely aligned with the Taiwan government’s mission to develop closer ties with China. This article investigates the role of art in the development of cross-strait relations, including how it is being deployed by governments on both sides as a vehicle for soft power, as well as some of the political agendas that influenced and shaped exhibitions of Chinese art in Taiwan. By exploring issues of representation and reception, this article considers how the local art community is responding to Taiwan’s rapprochement with China, and to the growing visibility of Chinese art in its museums.

Structures and Essence of Current Cross-Strait Relations

This article examines the current development of cross-strait relations between Taiwan and China through the two-level games mode. The role of the U.S. and the European Union, and also the South China Sea and East China Sea disputes are important external factors to explore in cross-strait relations. In addition, the structures of the bilateral relations, both Beijing’s and Taipei’s policies and tactics toward the other side and especially the CPC’s 18th Party Congress Report concerning Beijing’s Taiwan policy are the most significant internal factors of cross-strait relations. According to the Report, Beijing intends to reach a kind of interim agreement with Taipei before unification. But the author argues that under the current circumstances, it will not be easy for Beijing to reach its goal of the above mentioned political institutionalization of cross-strait relations in the near future.

Development of Cross-Strait Relations from Building the Peace Agreement

The cross-strait relations are an important factor of influencing cross-strait economic development and social progress. To build peaceful and stable cross-strait relations is the expectations of both sides as well as an important work for both governments. The cross-strait peace agreement is very critical in the process of the development of cross-strait relations. The two sides are to start negotiations and signing of peace agreement, which is not only beneficial to the two sides, but also helpful to regional and world peace. This essay is some thinking about the development of cross-strait relations based on cross-strait peace agreement. Key words: Peace agreement; Cross-strait Relations; Chinese Communist Party; Chinese Kuomintang (KMT)

New Approaches to Cross-Strait Integration and Its Impacts on Taiwan's Domestic Economy: An Emerging “Chaiwan”?

Taiwan's Legislative Yuan and Presidential elections in January and March 2008 respectively re-orientated cross-Strait relations from hostility to co-operation. On 4 November 2008, Chen Yunlin, head of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), and Chiang Pin-kun (Jiang Bingkun), chairman of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), meeting in the Second Chiang-Chen Talks in Taiwan, took a historical step in the further development of cross-Strait relations. Agreements were signed on direct air and sea transport, postal services and food-safety security. On 22 December 2009, the Fourth Chiang-Chen Talks took place in Taizhong and more substantial and technical agreements were signed on agriculture, inspection/ accreditation and fisheries. It seems that continuous integration between China and Taiwan is inevitable. To address the implications of this process for Taiwan's domestic economy, four dimensions of the current cross-Strait relationship are scrutinized: guanxi, plutocracy, legalism and the idea of a Chinese Common Market. It is argued that in order to intensify economic co-operation across the Taiwan Strait, more institutionalization of the cross-Strait relationship must be brought about.