Taiwan-China Relations
Key words：
Conflict 衝突、Taiwan Strait 台灣海峽、Asia-Pacific region 亞太地區、
world peace 世界和平、expanding 擴大中、發展中、refuse 拒絕、
renounce 放棄、force 武力、internal 國內的、external 國外的、challenges 挑戰
、難題　、democratization 民主化、economic 經濟的、political政治的、
cross-strait 海峽兩岸、World Trade Organization 國際貿易組織
the September 11 attacks 911攻擊、United States 聯合國、
Cross-strait relations 兩岸關係、regional issue 地方議題、perspectives 展望、
coexist共存、co-prosper 共榮

For decades, potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait has remained a serious threat to the Asia-Pacific region. Even today as trade, business, and private contracts between the two sides are rapidly expanding, the Beijing authorities on the Chinese mainland still refuse to renounce the use of force against Taiwan.

In recent years, both sides of the Taiwan Strait have faced major internal an external challenges. Taiwan has implemented thoroughgoing democratization leading to an unprecedented change of governing party; China is undergoing economic an political transition;

Cross-Strait interactions have increased following the accession of both sides to the world Trade Organization. Cross-Strait relations are no longer merely a regional issue but have become and important item no the agenda of international relations.

Historical Overview
Key words：
the Republic of China (ROC) 中華民國、
the People’s republic of China (PRC) 中國人民共和國
the Kuomintang (KMT) 國民黨、jurisdiction 管轄、Taiwan 台灣、Penghu 澎湖、
Kinmen 金門、Matsu 馬祖、Governed 統治、Separate 分離、Territories 領土、
Liberate 解放、Force 武力、Beijing 北京、Peaceful 和平愛好者、
Three No’s policy 三不政策、no contacts 不接觸、no negotiations 不談判
no compromise 不妥協、liberalization 自由主義化、democratization 民主化、
KMT government 國民政府、National Unification Council (NUC) 國家統一委員會、
Guidelines for National Unification 國家統一綱領、
President Lee Teng-hui 總統李登輝、Announced 宣告、發表、Termination 終止、
Period of National Mobilization for Suppression of the Communist Rebellion 動員戡亂時期、
Statute Governing the Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area 台灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例
Legislative Yuan 立法院、Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) 行政院大陸委員會、
Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) 海岸交流基金會、
Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS)　海峽兩岸關係協會

Founded in 1912, the republic of China (ROC) was Asia’s first constitutional republic.

In 1949, the ROC government, led by the KMT, moved to Taiwan. The two sides of the Taiwan Strait have been governed as separate territories and developed separate identities.

In 1979, Beijing began pursuing a course of peaceful confrontation by launching an intensive united font campaign, to which the KMT on Taiwan responded with the “Three No’s” policy (no contacts, no negotiations, and no compromise).

Throughout the 1980’s, economic liberalization, social diversification, and political democratization increased in Taiwan. With the lifting of the Emergency Decree in 1987, the ROC government adopted a more open policy toward the PRC. Cross-Strait economic, cultural, and educational exchanges increased rapidly afterwards.

In 1990, the KMT government set up the National Unification Council (國家統一委員會), which, in February 1991, drafted the Guidelines for unification.

Cross-Strait Consultations
Key words：
the first bilateral talks 第一次會談、Koo Chen-fu 辜振甫、Wang Daohan 汪道涵、
the second round of Koo-Wang talks 第二次辜汪會談、test-fired 試射、
guided missiles 飛彈、coast of Taiwan 台灣的海岸、Shanghai 上海、
special state-to-state relations 特殊國與國關係

In April 1993, the Straits Exchange Foundation and its mainland counterpart the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) 海峽兩岸關係會, met in Singapore for the first bilateral talks in over four decades. The discussions were led by SEF Chairman Koo Chen-fu 辜振甫 and ARATS Chairman Wang Daohan 汪道涵.

Despite these talks, cross-strait relations began to deteriorate shortly thereafter. The PRC authorities indefinitely postponed the second round of Koo-Wang talks, whuch had been scheduled for the Beijing in July 1995, as their way of protesting President Lee Teng-hui’s June 1995 visit to Cornell University, his alma mater in the US.

In March 1996, immediately before Taiwan’s first direct pres9idential election, Beijing test-fired guided missiles off the coast of Taiwan.

In October 1998, after a more-than-three-year hiatus, SEF Chairman Koo Chen-fu met with ARATS Chairman Wang Daohan in Shanghai. They agreed to expand exchanges at various levels, no significant breakthroughs were achieved on the most difficult issues during the meeting in China.

Beijing again unilaterally suspended negotiations after President Lee Teng-hui described the cross-strait situation as “special state-to state relations” 特殊國與國關係　during an interview with a German radio station in 1999.