Cross-Strait Relations: A Conflict in Slow Motion?
Mats Engman and Larissa Stünkel
Abstract
Xi Jinping’s much-anticipated centennial speech left little doubt that it remains “an unshakeable commitment” for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to resolve the Taiwan issue. With the global pandemic creating new opportunities for international cooperation and Taiwan becoming a role model in effectively mitigating the effects of Covid-19 domestically, current President Tsai Ing-wen has been able to shore up considerable support. Meanwhile, Beijing’s relations with the international community have grown more strained and the new Biden administration doubled down on its security commitments to Taipei. With all eyes on the Taiwan Strait, the question will be whether tensions might escalate in the short term, or the threat perception is in fact overstated, with current developments resembling a new iteration of the late 1990s cross-strait crisis.
Related Publications
-
Taiwan-Paraguay Relations: Convergent Trajectories
Abstract Paraguay’s ongoing diplomatic recognition of Taiwan rests upon a common historical foundation and reflects a parallel trajectory. Successive regimes have maintained diplomatic relations even as the external environment has […]
-
Between Scandals & Elections: Sino-Austrian Relations in the Era of Sharp Power
Introduction Li Zhanshu, the Chairman of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) and the country’s top legislator, visited Austria in May 2019 during his tour through Europe. […]