The Experience of German Reunification and The Future Development of Relations Between Taiwan and Mainland

Abstract

The peaceful reunification of East-West Germany in October 1990 is a most worthful case of divided nations which are trying to solve peace-fully their reunification problem. The German experience shows that the peaceful reunification needs patience, pragmatic concept, equal coexistence, mutual trust and respect of people determination from both sides of a divided nations. The study of this case will be very useful to such as both sides of Taiwan Straits and two Koreans for their unification effort. The relations between Taiwan and Mainland China developed in a dramatic way from the point of view of functional exchange. But it remains still in a stalemate situation in the political aspect. From the past German experience, we shall find it is very interesting and instructive and it will help us to prospect the further development of Taipei-Peking relations. This paper is divided into two parts. The first part tries to synthesize some key points of German experience. The second part consists of analyzing and evaluating the Taipei and Peking reunification policies, and then, exploring the future development of ROC-PRC relations.