Comparative Studies of the Democratic Progressive Party’s Taiwan Cross-Strait Policies A Case Study of Chen Shui-bian and Tsai Ing-wen Governments

Abstract

This research analyzes the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)’s the cross-strait policy during Chen Shui-bian and Tsai Ing-wen Governments. Even though both governments had shared the DPP’s policy known to promote the Taiwanese independence, they conducted the policy differently. Chen government compromised with China during the first two years before adopting a more confrontational approach afterward. Tsai government is persistently committed to the party’s policy ideology.  This research study a threat assessment of Taiwan which are shaped by the intersection of external and internal factors. The research finds that the cross-strait policy under Chen and Tsai Governments are shaped by three contingent factors: 1) geopolitical competition between the United States and China; 2) change in Taiwanese’s the party system; and 3) intensification of Taiwanese national identity among the public that clarifies publicly-determined policy influence on the Taiwanese government to respond to internal (opposing parties) and external threats (China). These three factors are inter-related and caused a variation in the cross-strait policy of Taiwan.