The March 2000 elections in Taiwan returned a pro-independence candidate. This marks a turning point in Taiwanese politics, as well as bilateral relations across the strait. The Taiwan issue is very difficult to resolve for it straddles three centuries. Separatism originated in the 19th century, intensified in the 20th century, and is likely to explode in the 21st century. This text contains a collection of selected news reports, analyses and commentaries which were written by the author, a journalist, between 1998 and 2000 during his posting to Taiwan. The first part traces the development of cross-strait relations since the presidential elections. The second part gives a factual account of the election process at different points in time, as well as the author's interpretation of the result. The next part covers news and analyses of cross-strait relations, especially the unification-independence dispute and the deterioration of cross-strait relations after Taiwanese ex-president Lee Tenghui formulates his "two-states" policy.
The final part sets cross-strait relations in the broader perspective of the trilateral relationship between Beijing, Taipei and Washington, the latter a key player in this uneasy co-existence.