There can be no doubt that China´s economic and political rise is having a stronger effect on Taiwan than on any other country, given the Chinese government´s claim to sovereignty over Taiwan, and Taiwan´s quest to maintain its democratic achievements and political identity as a sovereign state. Against this background, this volume deals with the bigger picture´ of evolving relations across the Taiwan Strait, departing from the observation that China´s impact on Taiwan has become stronger over the last 20 years. This book analyses the China impact´ on Taiwan in terms of its social, political and security space from both an empirical and conceptual point of view. It is the first comprehensive account of China´s multifaceted impact on the politics and society of contemporary Taiwan, written by renowned scholars from Taiwan, Europe and the U.S. The book covers a wide range of topics including Taiwan´s party alignment, elections, generational politics, cross-strait political economy, immigration policy and security. The contributors, political scientists and sociologists, highlight both the dangers and the opportunities of the China impact´ for Taiwan and draw a realistic picture of the island republic´s current situation and future options in the shadow of its giant neighbour. Based on qualitative and quantitative data, this volume intends to fill a gap in the Taiwan studies field by studying the China impact´ on Taiwan´s politics and society systematically and from a comparative perspective. By doing so, it will be of great interest to students and scholars of Taiwan studies, and East Asian politics and society more generally.
