Whether the issue is internal splits within Taiwan’s two major political parties or Beijing’s view of the parties and their leaders, the predominating mood today is skepticism. Not only have Tsai Ing-wen’s poll numbers continued to drop, she also faces increasing pressure from the Mainland. And although Wu Den-yih successfully assumed chairmanship of the badly riven Kuomintang (KMT), his reversion to Ma Ying-jeou’s carefully crafted cross-Strait policy has contributed to PRC doubts about the depth of his commitment to “one China.” Finally, while strengthening ties with Taiwan, even the United States has shown some frustration with both Taipei and Beijing about the need to do more to promote cross-Strait dialogue.
This article appears in the Fall 2017 issue of the China Leadership Monitor.