Connecting and "distancing" have been two prominent themes permeating the writings on the historical and contemporary developments of the relationship between Southeast Asia and China. As neighbours, the nation-states in Southeast Asia and the giant political entity in the north communicated with each other through a variety of diplomatic overtures, political agitations, and cultural nuances. In the last two decades with the rise of China as an economic powerhouse in the region, Southeast Asia’s need to connect with China has become more urgent and necessary as it attempts to reap the benefit from the successful economic modernization in China. At the same time, however, there were feelings of ambivalence, hesitation and even suspicions on the part of the Southeast Asian states vis-a-vis the rise of a political power which is so less understood or misunderstood. The contributors of this volume are authors of various disciplinary backgrounds: history, political science, economics and sociology. They provide a spectrum of perspectives by which the readers can view Sino-Southeast Asia relations.

In Taiwan's 18 March 2000 presidential election, the Kuomintang (KMT) government was defeated, for the first time after fifty-five years in power, by the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Chen Shui-bian's election victory has significantly changed and further complicated the political and strategic scenarios across the Taiwan Strait. This book is the first major study to investigate what led to this change, how it has affected cross-strait relations and how China will deal with the new government in Taiwan. The author also provides a detailed reading of U.S. military, economic and political involvement in the region and its strategy for Asia and China. Indications of strategic change under the Bush Administration and the possible impact of 11 September on U.S.-China relations are also examined.

This book is a study of the Taiwan issue after the Cold War. It focuses on the changes in Mainland China's Taiwan policy in the period between Lee Teng-hui's 1995 U.S. tour and his "two states" theory in 1999. It discusses why the tension across the Taiwan Strait flared up in 1995 and 1999, and how Mainland China handled, and is going to handle, its relations with Taiwan and the United States in the 21st century.