Reflecting Mirrors across the Taiwan Straits: American Perspectives on a China Threat

How ruling groups in Beijing and Taipei perceive the other as a threat is mediated by how they comprehend the policies of Washington. Much was revealed about the hopes and anxieties of China and Taiwan by their understandings of the year 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. The people and government on the island of Taiwan tended to champion Bush, while their counterparts in mainland China mostly rooted for Gore. The preferences were manifest in the media of Taiwan and China.