Taiwan: Nation-state Or Province? Second Edition

In this thoroughly revised and updated edition, John Copper provides a comprehensive introduction to Taiwan. After describing the country's historical development, he assesses its social and cultural milieu, its astonishing economic growth, and its relatively smooth transition to democracy. Copper also analyzes the political and security implications of Beijing's continuing claim that Taiwan is a province of the PRC as weighed against sentiment in Taiwan favoring independence and a world community that supports the status quo.The book highlights Taiwan's unique attributes: its uneasy status as a nation-state, its successful trade-oriented economy—despite a lack of natural resources—its rapid transition to democracy in the wake of economic development, and its ambiguous relationship with the United States. Considering Taiwan's international role in the post–Cold War era, Copper weighs the future of this small but vital island nation.