The leadership transition in Taiwan in 2008 was an important turning point in cross-Strait relations. The Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Chen Shui-bian administration, seemingly determined to press for formal Taiwan independence, was replaced by the Kuomintang (KMT) administration of Ma Ying-jeou, who was pledged to a “one China” approach. Ma’s “one China”-the Republic of China (ROC) -is, of course, not identical to Beijing’s “one China.” But that mattered far less to the Mainland than that Ma embraced the notion of a single nation encompassing both sides of the Strait, ultimately to be united when conditions allowed.
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