With international attention focused on Iraq and North Korea, the Taiwan problem has vanished from the headlines. It won't go away, however; geography and politics guarantee that. Put this break to productive use by reading Denny Roy's new volume, "Taiwan: A Political History." The concise yet comprehensive book is a commanding study of the island. It skillfully twines the evolution of Taiwan's domestic politics with its continuing search for security.
Taiwan has always been a troublemaker. During most of Chinese history, it was considered barbarian territory, settled by pirates and rebels whose activities put them -- and the island -- in the international spotlight. The Chinese, Japanese and Dutch governments tried at various times to pacify the island and end the threat to trade. All enjoyed limited success.
For China in particular, the island was a headache; opponents of the mainland government would use it as a base for attacks against Beijing. Those movements would be overwhelmed, but pacification was difficult. The island terrain was inhospitable and the occupying authorities were usually better at cementing hostility than making friends.