ABSTRACT
The major factor that affects economic relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is the development of economic globalization in the new century. This chapter discusses the prospect of cross-strait relations against the background of economic globalization and analyzes the impacts of various factors in the early twenty-first century on the cross-strait relationship, such as the economic recessions in the US and Japan, and China’s accession to the World Trade Organization. The chapter is organized in four sections. The first section examines the major factors of the twenty-first century that affect cross-strait economic relations. The second section discusses the trend of development of cross-strait economic relations. The third section analyzes the structural changes and policy characteristics of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. The fourth section gives suggestions on how to enhance economic cooperation and development across the Taiwan Strait.
