percent of vote by party - KMT 55%, DPP 30%, CNP 14%, other 1%; seats
by party - KMT 183, DPP 99, CNP 46, other 6

Judicial branch: Judicial Yuan, justices appointed by the president
with the consent of the National Assembly

Political parties and leaders: Kuomintang (KMT, Nationalist Party), LI
Teng-hui, chairman; Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), HSU
Hsin-Liang, chairman; Chinese New Party (CNP), CHEN Kuei-Miao; Labor
Party (LP), leader NA; Taiwan Independence Party (TAIP), leader NA

Political pressure groups and leaders: Taiwan independence movement,
various environmental groups
note : debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the
mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization
and the increased representation of the opposition Democratic
Progressive Party in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on
the island's national identity; advocates of Taiwan independence,
including within the DPP, oppose the ruling party's traditional stand
that the island will eventually reunify with mainland China; goals of
the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign
nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting
Taiwan independence include the World United Formosans for
Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building

International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, IOC,
WCL, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; unofficial commercial and
cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through a
private instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural
Representative Office (TECRO) with headquarters in Taipei and field
offices in Washington and 12 other US cities

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; unofficial commercial and
cultural relations with the people of Taiwan are maintained through a
private institution, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which has
offices in Taipei at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, telephone
[886] (2) 709-2000, FAX [886] (2) 702-7675, and in Kao-hsiung at #2
Chung Cheng 3d Road, telephone [886] (7) 224-0154 through 0157, FAX
[886] (7) 223-8237, and the American Trade Center at Room 3207
International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung
Road Section 1, Taipei 10548, telephone [886] (2) 720-1550, FAX [886]
757-7162

Flag description: red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper
hoist-side corner bearing a white