Policy Brief No.244: Reassurance in the Taiwan Strait Revisited

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This policy brief seeks to answer a critical question: What kind of reassurance can Taiwan give to Mainland China, and vice versa? It also points out two important questions with preliminary answers: What could be the reassurance measures given by major stakeholders in the region, and is reassurance possible given the identity politics in Taiwan and Mainland China? The brief first discusses the term ‘reassurance’ with reference to theoretical literature, then analyzes the recent deterioration of cross-strait relations, with no Track I dialogue, very little official communication, and a military standoff. Next, the brief provides a list with examples of possible reassurance measures that could be taken by the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. Before concluding, the brief argues that United States’ influence and the impact of Taiwan’s identity politics need further discussion.