In recent years, as the political impasse between China and Taiwan has become more difficult to resolve, a great number of books, articles and studies by Asia experts and important think tanks have been published, proposing ways to break the impasse. This book is another example where ideas and strategies to solve this problem are not lacking. Donald S. Zagoria, a well-respected academic who has written extensively about Asia, has edited a series of articles by scholars on problems existing between China, Taiwan and the United States.

Among those scholars, Robert Scalapino explains the US role in the Cross-Strait relations with an emphasis on the economy and the political issues existing between the two sides. His advice is for Taiwan "not to act in a way that excites the worst fears and misperceptions of the other side because that may increase tensions across the strait." On the other hand, Scalapino also has advice for China, calling on it to accept the "reality of Taiwan democracy" because the people in Taiwan are the real actors in the relationship between the two sides. Scalapino gives interesting insights into the way the US policy should work to help China and Taiwan. He says neither side should impose preconditions for the resumption of dialogue. He says the deepening economic ties should not be subject to political preconditions, and China should not discriminate against Taiwanese or American companies because of the political views of executives.

Ma Ying-jeou, the current mayor of Taipei, contributes a long article to this book. He gives an assessment of the government of President Chen Shui-bian's policy toward Cross-Strait relations and an overview about the strength and weakness of that relationship.

"The DPP government's grand strategy, designed not to provoke the PRC, is appropriate, but hardly sufficient to break the stalemate across the Taiwan Strait and steer the course of events in Taiwan's favor," Ma says. Apparently, the DPP is listening to Ma's advice if one considers events at the end of 2003.

Economic ties between China and Taiwan are an important aspect in the Cross-Strait relationship, author Yu Xintian says in one chapter dealing with economic outlooks after the two countries joined the World Trade Organization. Yu says the US should encourage economic integration between the two sides in order to create more confidence and mutual trust so dialogue can resume.

Other authors make extensive use of their knowledge about the problems in the Cross Strait region, and they explain the reasons why these problems have defied solutions. Among the authors are Richard C. Bush, who held important positions as a US envoy in the Cross Strait conflict, Wilson Tien who writes about the DPP's position with regard to China and Julian Jengliang Kuo who writes about Taiwan's new policy toward China. David Lampton, Bonnie Glasser, Ralph N. Clough, Nancy Bernkopf Tucker and Xu Shiquan all contribute to the book.

Zagoria draws a conclusion based on the views of the contributors that the core of the impasse between China and Taiwan is the issue of sovereignty over Taiwan. He acknowledges that the impasse has become more difficult to bridge because the DPP government has rejected the "one China" principle and is suspicious of Beijing's intentions toward Taiwan. On the other hand, Beijing also is suspicious of the Chen government. In such an atmosphere of mistrust, the crisis over the sovereignty issue is not going to go away soon. But he warns that the long-term relationship between the two sides is likely to become more militarized because China fears the pro-independence movement in Taiwan.

"The United States should continue to oppose any declaration of independence by Taiwan and any use of force by China," Zagoria says. "And it should continue to uphold the thesis that any resolution of the issue must have the support of the Taiwan people."