CIAO DATE: 01/04

Taiwan Referendum: Waving a Red Flag

Ralph A. Cossa

The PacNet Newsletter 2003
December 3, 2003

The Center for Strategic and International Studies

 

Abstract

Taipei - Is President Chen Shui-bian trying to provoke a crisis with the PRC in the run up to the March 2004 presidential elections in Taiwan? Taiwan government spokesmen say no, but there is a growing perception among cross-Strait watchers that Taipei is purposefully baiting Beijing in hopes of provoking a hostile response (a la the 1996 missile "tests") that will cause the island's public to rally around the flag (and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party) in the name of Taiwanese nationalism.

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