The 2008 Referendum: A Test for Cross–Strait Economic Interdependence
01 Feb 2008-China Report (Sage Publications India Pvt. Ltd,B-42, Panchsheel Enclave, New Delhi)-Vol. 44, Iss: 1, pp 71-82
TL;DR: There has been increasing speculation in recent weeks of a possible military stand-off in the Taiwan Straits in the early part of 2008 in the context of the proposed referendum on the island over Taiwan's membership to the United Nations (UN) as "Taiwan" (not "Republic of China"). The referendum is to be held at the time of Taiwan's presidential election in March 2008 and the move comes even as Taiwan’s last twelve attempts to join the UN as the ROC failed.
Abstract: There has been increasing speculation in recent weeks of a possible military stand-off in the Taiwan Straits in the early part of 2008 in the context of the proposed referendum on the island over Taiwan’s membership to the United Nations (UN)—as ‘Taiwan’ (not ‘Republic of China’). The referendum is to be held at the time of Taiwan’s presidential election in March 2008 and the move comes even as Taiwan’s last twelve attempts to join the UN as the ‘Republic of China (ROC)’ failed. The sources for the recent speculation on heightened cross-strait military tensions emanate from Chinese, Taiwanese and Western sources (both unofficial and official). The speculation is traced to two major developments in the past six months. The reshuffling of the top brass of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in the run-up to the 17th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is the first cause of worry.1 It has been reported that at least five members of the new Central Military Commission (CMC) line-up have a background in Taiwan-related affairs.2 They are:
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14 Apr 2005
TL;DR: After several years of negotiations, Taiwan joined the World Trade Organization (WTO), the international organization that sets rules for most international trade, on January 1, 2002 as mentioned in this paper, but China fought to allow Taiwan to join the WTO only as a "separate customs territory" and only after China obtained membership.
Abstract: After several years of negotiations, Taiwan joined the World Trade Organization (WTO), the international organization that sets rules for most international trade, on January 1, 2002. China fought to allow Taiwan to join the WTO only as a “separate customs territory” and only after China obtained membership (which it did in December 2001). Trade and investment relations between China and Taiwan have boomed in recent years; China has replaced the United States as Taiwan’s export market. However, political tensions between China and Taiwan remain high. In an effort to further boost U.S.-Taiwan economic ties (and to lessen Taiwan’s growing economic dependency on the mainland), some Members of Congress have indicated support for a U.S.-Taiwan free trade agreement (FTA). This report will be updated as events warrant.
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine the dimensions of China's competitive threat in the 1990s, benchmarking competitive performance by technology and market, and find that market share losses are so far mainly in low technology products, with Japan being the most vulnerable market.
359 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that the rapid technological upgrading of China's trade is associated with an increasing dependence on foreign capital and technology, and that the emergence of China has led to the reorganisation of production in Asia and to a triangular trade pattern: firms in advanced Asian economies use China as an export base and instead of exporting finished goods to the US and Europe, now export intermediate goods to their affiliates in China.
Abstract: China has taken advantage of the globalisation process and has become an assembly country for firms in Asia, which have extended their production and trade networks to China. China’s position in the segmentation of the production processes has fostered its trade in high-technology products. However the rapid technological upgrading of China’s trade is associated with an increasing dependence on foreign capital and technology. The emergence of China has led to the reorganisation of production in Asia and to a triangular trade pattern: firms in advanced Asian economies use China as an export base and instead of exporting finished goods to the US and Europe, now export intermediate goods to their affiliates in China.
205 citations
TL;DR: Wang et al. as discussed by the authors found that Hong Kong-Taiwan direct investment was primarily motivated by low labor costs while FDI from the Triad was market-oriented, while China's domestic markets became more open to foreign investors.
154 citations
Book•
01 Jan 1997
TL;DR: This paper explored how Taiwan's status has come to be a symbol for the legitimacy of the Chinese regime in the evolution of Chinese nationalism and how this view has been challenged by demands for democratization in Taiwan.
Abstract: For China, Taiwan is next in line to be unified with the People's Republic after Hong Kong in 1997. China's claim on Taiwan is of great importance to the politics of Chinese Nationalism, and is central to the dynamics of power in this most volatile of regions. The democratic challenge from Taiwan is very potent and its status and identity within the international community is crucial to its survival. Taiwan and Chinese Nationalism explores how Taiwan's status has come to be a symbol for the legitimacy of the Chinese regime in the evolution of Chinese nationalism. It also demonstrates how this view has been challenged by demands for democratization in Taiwan. The KMT regime is shown to have allowed sovereignty to be practised by the population of the island while maintaining the claim that it is a part of China. The result is a "post-nationalist" identity for the island in an intermediate state between independence and unification with the PRC.
78 citations