The Taiwan-china Connection

Exploring the transitional role of the state in Taiwans economic development, this book moves beyond the strong state paradigm, focusing especially on the impact of trade with mainland China. Providing an irresistible business opportunity, cross-Straits trade and investment have served as a fulcrum by which societal interests have moved an unwilling state. Weighing the crucial forces at workdemocratization, state-society interaction, and economic interdependence with mainland ChinaLeng offers a thorough analysis of Taiwans current and future political and economic development. }Exploring the transitional role of the state in Taiwans economic development, this book focuses especially on the impact of trade with mainland China. Tse-Kang Leng argues that the basic structure of political forces within Taiwan and its pattern of external economic relations have been transformed in the 1990s, with cross-Straits trade playing a key part. Although politically embarrassing to the government, this trade provides an economic opportunity that is irresistibly attractive to business interests.Thus, cross-Straits trade and investment have served as a fulcrum by which societal interests have moved an unwilling state.
Going beyond the strong state paradigm, the authors analysis of current cross-Straits economic policies reveals a sharp contrast between Taiwans authoritarian past and its current era of democratization. Weighing the crucial forces at work in Taiwandemocratization, state-society interaction, and economic interdependence with mainland ChinaLeng provides a thorough analysis of Taiwans political and economic development in the 1990s and beyond. }