Dalton Lin and Yu-Han Chu argue that even though China's mighty capability of creating economic prosperity should have attracted the Taiwanese people to desire closer economic integration with China, this is not happening on the island. China hopes its economic attraction will lure the Taiwanese people into embracing its agenda of closer economic cooperation and, eventually, political reunification. However, China had put the cart before the horse and demanded that Taiwan commits to this goal of political reunification before its economic attraction has had a chance to transform Taiwanese people's preferences for integration. Embracing China's unification agenda thus seems to be a precondition for enjoying the economic prosperity promised by closer relations with China, and the prerequisite blurs the line between attraction and coercion. As a result, those Taiwanese who advocate for cooperation with China are suspected by their compatriots of kowtowing to Beijing and of working for China's interests. It thus becomes difficult to encourage a sense of affection for China among the Taiwanese public.

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A book review by Martha Bayles "Hard Truths About China’s 'Soft Power'” can be found on The American Interest.