eight elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on the basis of
the proportion of nationwide votes received by participating
political parties, eight elected by popular vote among the
aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms) and
unicameral National Assembly (334 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Legislative Yuan--last held 5 December 1998 (next to be
held NA December 2001); National Assembly--last held 23 March 1996
(next to be held NA 2000)
election results: Legislative Yuan--percent of vote by party--KMT 46%,
DPP 29%, CNP 7%, independents 10%, other parties 8%; seats by
party--KMT 123, DPP 70, CNP 11, independents 15, other parties 6;
National Assembly--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 or KMT (Nationalist
parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Taiwan independence
movement, various business and 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 opposition parties in Taiwan's
legislature have opened public debate on the island's national
identity; advocates of Taiwan independence 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 on Taiwan are
maintained through a private institution, the Americ