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to be a very wise move especially in the run up to the next elections. China seized the opportunity to mount a massive sea display, with missiles being fired, in an attempt to persuade the people to return power to the nationalists and encourage the move towards reunification. However, the US intervened by sending in one of the biggest warship fleets seen since World War ll. Lee won a second term and the standoff between Taiwan and China continued. In 1987 when Britain returned Hong Kong to China, Lee returned the compliment, staging war games in the straights to send a message to China that Taiwan would not capitulate in the same way.

At the turn of the century in 2000, the Democratic Progressivve Party came to power under the presidency of Chen Shui- bian. Initially his words seem to ease the tensions between the two countries, but this soon gave way to increasingly provocative rhetoric. Most observers believe that this is just a signal that he wants to move the country to full independence. However, at present the majority of the Islanders appear to be happy with the way things are at present, but there is no doubt that the move for full independence is slowly gaining momentum. Thus we have the bizarre situation that is found today, with Taiwan not fully independent but still resisting reunification with China and, on the other side, China becoming increasingly frustrated with the fact that the country will not return to what Beijing considers to be its rightful owners. At present, there appears to be no way past this impasse and so the cauldron keeps on simmering.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asi a-pacific/1782759.stm
http://ww w.pbs.org/newshour/bb/asia/chi na/china-taiwan.html

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