ABSTRACT
The issue of greater participation of native-born Taiwanese in the governance of Taiwan is gradually being solved as political leaders bom on the mainland are being replaced by persons born on the island. To the extent there has been criticism in the United States Congress, it has usually concerned the lesser role accorded to native-born Taiwanese in the governance of Taiwan and the existence of martial law, since the establishment of the Republic of China on the island of Taiwan in 1949. The Reagan Administration inherited a very confused and uncertain China policy when it took office in 1981. The United States should persuade China that it must change just as American policy eventually succeeded in changing the Soviet Union by shoring up Western Europe. Concurrent with the Joint Communique, both the United States and China issued separate statements.
