China Policy Institute Blog
The Folly of a cross-Strait “China Dream”
April 11, 2013
Written by Russell Hsiao. The pace and scope of dialogue across the Taiwan Strait have expanded considerably since Ma Ying-jeou became the President of the Republic of China (ROC) in 2008. These dialogues, led by non-governmental organizations, business and cultural associations, and political parties, have served as the main channels through which the two governments on both …
Taiwan’s Defence Policy under Ma Ying-jeou
April 2, 2013
By Michal Thim. Since the 1990s each ROC President has played an important role in shaping Taiwan’s defence strategy, a process that reflects differences in their cross-Strait policies, the mind-set of other important policy makers, and the growing challenge from all branches of the Peoples Liberation Army. Lee Teng-hui’s administrations introduced the concept of “effective …
On an even-keel? Cross-Strait Relations in Ma’s Second Term
March 28, 2013
By Steve Tsang. In terms of cross-Strait relations, President Ma Ying-jeou’s second term did not really start last year when he assumed office. It has only just begun. The real change that drives the relationship does not happen in Taipei but in Beijing. The break came with Xi Jinping’s assumption of all three top offices …
The Nuclear Referendum Issue in Taiwan
March 27, 2013
By Dafydd Fell. In late February 2013 the KMT announced its decision to support a national referendum on whether to stop construction of the controversial Fourth Nuclear Power Station. This development came as a genuine surprise to this writer. The question of whether to complete construction of this power station has been the most salient environmental …
Social issues, Civil Society and the Quality of Democracy
March 26, 2013
By Ketty Chen. Last Thursday (March 21, 2013), residents of the Huaguang Community (華光社區) went to the Ministry of Justice to protest the forced demolition of their homes, bringing along shingle, bricks and lumber from some of the already destroyed houses in the community. The protesters clashed with police as they attempted to confiscate the …
Behind Beijing’s East Asian Maritime Assertiveness
March 21, 2013
By Chong-Pin Lin. For China 2008 was a year of diplomatic harvests. Not only did Beijing reach agreement with Moscow in October on their disputed borders of more than 4,000 kilometers, it did the same with Hanoi on the 1,300 km long border at the year’s end. In May, Chinese President Hu Jintao concluded a …
How Ma Ying-jeou shot himself in the foot
March 20, 2013
By Chris Wang. 51.6, 13 and three. Those are probably the only numbers one needs to know when examining Taiwanese politics a year or so on from President Ma Ying-jeou’s re-election in January 2012. Ma, who won the fiercely-contested presidential election in 2012 with 51.6 percent of the votes, six percentage points ahead of his …
Taiwan Adrift: The Limits of Ma’s ‘Three Nos’
March 18, 2013
By Wen-Ti Sung. President Ma Ying-jeou’s mantra of ‘no unification, no independence, and no use of force’ is coming under increasing strain in an era of benign neglect from Washington, Beijing’s ever stronger economic leverage, and Taiwan’s own strategic confusion. President Ma’s comfortable re-election in 2012 has led to heightened interest about whether he will …
Mind The Gap
March 17, 2013
By Paul R. Katz. One of the most striking aspects of Taiwan’s 2012 presidential election was the contrast between campaign financing, with Ma Ma Ying-jeou 馬英九 earning widespread support among local business leaders (especially those with sizeable investments in China), while his opponent (DPP presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen 蔡英文) attracted outpourings of smaller donations from …
Taiwan’s 2013 Quadrennial Defense Review
March 15, 2013
By Michal Thim. The Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) of the Republic of China is a major defence policy document that has to be updated every four years and prepared by the Ministry of National Defence (MND) within 10 months of the Presidential inauguration. The first QDR was published in 2009, and its revised 2013 edition became …
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