Reunification of China

The question of the reunification of China has been haunting both sides of the Taiwan Strait since the departure of the Kuomintang from mainland China to Taiwan in 1949. This in-depth study examines the policies of Beijing and Taipei toward reunification. The China policies of the other major powers, with special reference to the Taiwan issue, are also explored. The work deals with possible options or solutions to the reunification issue, with options available to the concerned parties, and with interactions and trends in the Taiwan strait. The problems and prospects for China's reunification are clearly delineated. A special postscript on the Tiananmen Square issue and the repercussions of that incident on relations between Beijing and Taipei is of timely interest. The author proposes that the major avenue by which Beijing and Taipei could work toward reunification is through confidence-building measures and practical exchanges.

The Reunification of China is a comprehensive study of a sensitive issue of contemporary Chinese politics. In the discussion of the policies of the major powers, much emphasis is given to the role the United States could play in reunification. Possible ways in which reunification could be mapped out are studied through alternatives and proposals. Interactions and trends in the Taiwan strait--such as the visitation program by Taipei, cultural exchanges, and economic discourse--are focused on. This volume will be of value to those concerned with Asian studies, sociology of mass movements, and revolution and political violence.

LAI TO LEE is Senior Lecturer in Political Science at the National University of Singapore. The author of The Structure of the Trade Union System in China 1949-1966 and Trade Unions in China: 1949 to the Present, he has published numerous books and articles, specializing in security issues of the Asia-Pacific region.