The relationship between Mainland China and Taiwan has been problematic since the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949. Taiwan has a democratic system since the 1980s with two main parties the Guomindang (GMD) 国民党 and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) 民主进步党. After several legislative periods with the DPP in power, the Guomindang was elected in 2008. GMD leader Ma Yingjiu 马英九 replaced DPP Chen Shuibian 陈水扁 as a president.
Almost immediately after the elections the relationship between Taiwan and Mainland China started to improve and voices were heard that the problem between China and Taiwan would solve itself. In spite of the former strategic choice of the Chinese government not to develop and stimulate economy in the Chinese province Fujian bordering Taiwan, on an economical level the gap between Taiwan and Mainland China has been closing slowly but surely over the past decades. Today however the Chinese government drastically changed its policy: Beijing now wants to boost the economic zone in Fujian to further improve the Taiwan - Mainland China relationship.