Taiwan : Nation-state Or Province? Second Edition (2nd ed)

Providing a detailed introduction to Taiwan, this work describes the country's historical development and assesses its social and cultural milieu, its dramatic economic growth, and its relatively smooth transition to democracy.

The book also analyzes the political and security implications of Beijing's continuing claim that Taiwan is a province of the People's Republic of China, as weighed against sentiment in Taiwan favouring independence and a world community that supports the status quo.The country's unique attributes are highlighted: its uneasy status as a nation-state, its successful trade-orientated economy (despite a lack of natural resources), its rapid transition to democracy in the wake of economic development, and its ambiguous relationship with the United States.