| Summary: | 碩士 === 淡江大學 === 中國大陸研究所碩士在職專班 === 97 === Cross-strait relations turned a new page on Dec. 2, 1987 when the then Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government allowed the Taiwanese people to visit their relatives in China. Although the lifting of the ban was unilateral, it was a breakthrough for both sides of the Taiwan Strait who had been hostile to each other since the civil war. Lee Teng-hui''s presidency ushered in Taiwan''s political transformation and dramatic change in cross-strait relations. Cross-strait ties have gone through an unprecedented change since Lee Teng-hui was elected as the country''s first president in 1996. During Lee''s presidency, he fundamentally changed the course of the cross-strait policy, bringing cross-strait relations to a state of uncertainty featuring spectacular ups and downs. The two transfers of power in 2000 and 2008 contribute to even more dramatic changes in cross-strait policies. This article intends to explore the factors contributing to the changes and what impact a series of policy changes have on cross-strait relations.
Cross-strait policies are distinctively different under the presidencies of Lee Teng-hui, Chen Shui-bian and current president Ma Ying-jeou . Lee overthrew the traditional identification with the “Republic of China.” He also divorced cross-strait relations from the framework of “one China.” He emphasized the concept of “Taiwan first” and offered an alternative to national identity. Although Lee''s successor, Chen, extended olive branches to Beijing at the beginning of his presidency, his goodwill gesture was met with disdain. Beijing''s repulsion drove Chen to tighten his cross-strait policy with some critiques describing it as “isolative.” When Ma and his KMT party returned to power in 2008, his China-friendly cross-strait policy has eased tension and sped up bilateral exchanges. Yet, his policy has raised much concern, marking a brand new era of cross-strait relations.
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