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Taiwan as Macedonia? Strait tensions as a syndrome

1998; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 21; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/10576109808436062

1521-0731

Andrew Scobell,

China's Ethnic Minorities and Relations

In June 1995 a private visit to the United States by Taiwanese president Lee Teng‐hui generated a wave of acrimonious rhetoric and bellicose activity by China. Tensions in the Taiwan Strait, which by the early 1990s appeared to be at a four‐decade low, suddenly escalated. In mid 1995 and early 1996 China conducted missile tests in the waters around Taiwan and conducted large scale military exercises off the Chinese coast in the vicinity of the island. But just as suddenly as tensions had heightened, they dissipated following the conclusion of Taiwan's first‐ever direct presidential election in March 1996. China acknowledged the result, the re‐election of President Lee, and urged Taipei to resume a dialogue with Beijing. The recent confrontation between China and Taiwan is one that is not easily explained or predicted. This article contends that the recent China—Taiwan tensions can best be explained by factoring in ethnicity and irredentism.