Lee also hoped to buy allies in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa. But Taiwan's attempts to enter the United Nations and other bodies were squashed by Beijing's unrelenting opposition. And all but the smallest nations have cut formal diplomatic ties with Taipei. The main reason Lee's grand hopes did not pan out is increasing prosperity did nothing to soften the mainland's deep hostility to Taiwan. President Jiang wants to make tangible progress on unification before his term expires in three years.
Hardliners feel a growing sense of urgency to act before Taiwan drifts even further away.
That sense is fueled by economic problems at home, despite massive public spending. Corruption scandals further tarnish the Communist Party's legitimacy. In a country where the loss of territory to foreign powers has toppled dynasties, the last thing the party can afford is to ''lose'' Taiwan. But a similar attitude shift hasn't occurred in China. The fact that the Communist Party continues to crush dissent 11 years after the Tiananmen Square bloodbath has dampened hope that a government the Taiwanese can live with will emerge in Beijing.