
Taiwan and the Cause of Democratization in China
Inspiration and Support
Jie Chen(Editor)
Edward Elgar Publishing
Published on 18. October 2024
Book
Hardback
188 pages
978-1-80220-572-5 (ISBN)
Description
In a time when the political developments in China have major implications for the stability of the existing international order, this topical book revisits an enduring topic pertaining to Taiwan's influence over China's future.
Based on extensive fieldwork, this book gives a holistic account of Taiwan's mixed and overall declining agency in supporting the causes of democracy and human rights across mainland China and Hong Kong. With a carefully selected group of experts, Chen Jie explores how Taiwan's successful democratic transition and consolidation inspired many social activists and liberal intellectuals. With a focus on Taiwan's state and civil society, the book outlines how Taiwan's agency has waned significantly, largely due to the socio-political campaigns of de-Sinification. The book ultimately finds that Taiwan's role as a beacon of democracy is manifested by the island's existence as the only liberal democracy in the Chinese speaking world.
The book's critical investigations into the prospects of political liberalization and democratization in China are vital for students and scholars of Asian politics and policy, human rights, and international relations. Its examination of the role of Taiwan in facilitating democratic transition is also beneficial for international democracy and human rights agencies and policymakers alike.
Based on extensive fieldwork, this book gives a holistic account of Taiwan's mixed and overall declining agency in supporting the causes of democracy and human rights across mainland China and Hong Kong. With a carefully selected group of experts, Chen Jie explores how Taiwan's successful democratic transition and consolidation inspired many social activists and liberal intellectuals. With a focus on Taiwan's state and civil society, the book outlines how Taiwan's agency has waned significantly, largely due to the socio-political campaigns of de-Sinification. The book ultimately finds that Taiwan's role as a beacon of democracy is manifested by the island's existence as the only liberal democracy in the Chinese speaking world.
The book's critical investigations into the prospects of political liberalization and democratization in China are vital for students and scholars of Asian politics and policy, human rights, and international relations. Its examination of the role of Taiwan in facilitating democratic transition is also beneficial for international democracy and human rights agencies and policymakers alike.
Reviews / Votes
'Taiwan and the Cause of Democratization in China is an excellent book. Its arguments are often provocative and sometimes challenge accepted wisdom - as the best academic literature should - but this is a major contribution precisely because the contributors ground their ideas in evidence rather than polemic. This is a book that I shall certainly use and reference repeatedly in my own work on soft power and I recommend it without reservation.' -- Gary Rawnsley, The China Quarterly 'This book explores the complex roles Taiwan has played in promoting democracy in China and Hong Kong during Tsai Ing-wen's presidency (2016-2024). It offers insights into specific themes like LGBTQ rights, the impact on mainland students in Taiwan, and Taiwan's democratic influence in Xi Jinping's China. The book is commendable for its thorough analysis and contextual depth with its interdisciplinary approach and the involvement of scholars and activists from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and beyond. The inclusion of diverse perspectives enriches our understanding, making it an essential read for anyone interested in the interplay between democracy and autocracy in contemporary East Asia.' -- Baogang He, Deakin University, AustraliaMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cheltenham
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-80220-572-5 (9781802205725)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Edited by Chen Jie, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Australia
Content
Contents
1 Studying Taiwan as a helper as well as inspirer for
democracy in China 9
Chen Jie
2 Taipei's support for democracy in China: Paradox during
the Tsai administration 32
Chen Jie
3 Taiwan's support for the Hong Kong pro-democracy cause 67
Joseph Yu-shek Cheng
4 Taiwan's inspiration for the Chinese speaking world on
same-sex marriage and LGBTQ rights 99
Frederic Krumbein
5 Does cross-border learning promote democratic reform?
Chinese students studying in Taiwan as an example 123
Chia-chou Wang
6 Lessons from Taiwan's experience to promote China's
peaceful democratic transition 145
Yeau-tarn Lee
7 Conclusion 173
Chen Jie
1 Studying Taiwan as a helper as well as inspirer for
democracy in China 9
Chen Jie
2 Taipei's support for democracy in China: Paradox during
the Tsai administration 32
Chen Jie
3 Taiwan's support for the Hong Kong pro-democracy cause 67
Joseph Yu-shek Cheng
4 Taiwan's inspiration for the Chinese speaking world on
same-sex marriage and LGBTQ rights 99
Frederic Krumbein
5 Does cross-border learning promote democratic reform?
Chinese students studying in Taiwan as an example 123
Chia-chou Wang
6 Lessons from Taiwan's experience to promote China's
peaceful democratic transition 145
Yeau-tarn Lee
7 Conclusion 173
Chen Jie