China and Taiwan have built one of the most intertwined and important economic relationships in the world, and yet that relationship is not mutually open, compliant with World Trade Organization norms, or even fully institutionalized. What's more, despite massive trade and investment flows, the boundary between the two is a serious flashpoint for potential conflict. But leaders in Beijing and Taipei have committed to normalize and deepen their economic intercourse and open a new post-Cold War era in their relationship. While the political significance of this gambit has captured attention worldwide, the scope of opening intended and the bilateral, regional, and global effects likely to ensue are as yet poorly understood. This volume attempts to remedy that uncertainty with careful modeling combined with a qualitative assessment of the implications of the cross-strait economic opening now agreed in an Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA). The study explores the implications for Taiwan and China, for their neighbors, and for the United States if this undertaking is fully implemented by 2020.

'. . . the book will be of great help to readers interested in Taiwan's economic performance over the past twenty years.' - Gilles Guiheux, The China Journal Taiwan's economic development experience represents a unique case study especially in the wake of the Asian financial crisis. Taiwan has performed outstandingly in terms of macroeconomic and industrial development, particularly during recent democratic and social change. This book aims to provide a broad picture of these institutional reforms and policy evolutions.

A collaborative effort by Western specialists and some of Taiwan's leading social scientists, this timely study addresses the cause and effects of Taiwan's dramatic achievements in economic growth and income distribution as a market-oriented yet highly government-interventionist economy. The relevance of this success could not be more telling for other market-oriented economies as well as for the rapidly decentralizing economies of Russia, Eastern Europe, and China. Using a case-study approach, the contributors examine the transition to export-led growth, foreign trade, investment patterns, the role of financial institutions, fiscal and monetary policy, the educational and agrarian systems, and the role of women and ideology.

This book provides a discussion of the general impact of WTO membership on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and addresses the political and economic impact on cross-Strait relations of common membership.The book begins with an introduction which analyzes the state of cross-Strait economic and political relations on the eve of dual accession to the WTO and briefly introduces the chapters which follow. The first chapter discusses the concessions made by both sides in their accession agreements and is followed by two chapters which describe the manner in which the Taiwan economy was reformed to achieve compliance as well as the specific, restrictive trade regime that was put into place to manage mainland trade. The next two chapters deal with the implications of that restrictive trade regime for the Taiwan economy in Asia and with the nature of the interactions between the two sides within the WTO. The final four chapters of the volume examine the impact of membership on four sectors of the economy: finance; agriculture; electronics and automobiles. There is a post-script which briefly covers developments since the chapters were completed.

Focusing on aspects of modern Taiwan related to the fields of economics, social policy and politics, this collection brings together leading scholars to discuss recent developments in Taiwanese society. The contributors discuss economic policy making in Taiwan, the Diaspora of Taiwanese businessmen, the issue of national identity, the factors behind political liberalization and democratization, labour and social politics, the emergence of social movements that promote new social policies, and the impact of democratization on welfare state politics in Taiwan. Since the lifting of martial law in 1987, Taiwan has undergone a period of rapid industrialization and democratization which has changed the face of Taiwanese society. This volume will provide an insight into these dramatic economic, political and societal changes.