Change in Taiwan policy under Xi Jinping administration: an internalized policy-making process

Abstract

After the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) gained power in 2016, the cross-strait communication channels were gradually closed. The mainland’s Taiwan policy was changed, resulting in an internalization of the policy-making process. This paper manifests the internalization through the case study of the “31 Preferential Policies for Taiwan” launched in 2018. This new Taiwan policy originated from the local governments’ initiative to establish local policy pools that are partially transformed into the new Taiwan policy, hence the implementation nationwide. The local track of central leaders, which is a key variable, significantly influences the policy-making process.