Steve Tsang is Louis Cha Fellow and University Reader in Politics at St Antony's College, Oxford University. He served as Director of the Asian Studies Centre at Oxford from 1997 to 2003 and is the author of A Modern History of Hong Kong and Hong Kong: An Appointment with China, both published by I.B.Tauris.

• Acronyms and Abbreviations – iiPreface – iiiIntroduction – x1. In the Context of the Cold War – 1Dawn of a new age – 1The cold war in Asia – 5The UK’s position -9The ROC’s place – 14China and the odd couple – 182. The ROC’s Policy – 27General foreign policy – 27Policy towards the United Kingdom – 30Apparatus for making policy and conducting relation – 37Survival in the cold war – 553. British Policy – 58Britain’s East Asian policy – 58Policy towards Taiwan – 61Apparatuses for policy making and conducting relations – 74From expediency to unintended partnership – 814. One China or Two? – 83Solutions to Taiwan – 84Chinese representation at the UN – 99One China, two states – 1085. Peace and Security – 111A cause for war? – 111Origins of first Taiwan Strait crisis, 1954-55 – 115Operation Oracle – 121Second Taiwan Strait crisis, 1958 – 139A precarious peace? – 1486. Mutual Interest and Conflicts – 152Mutual interests – 152Conflicts over the closure of Chinese ports – 155Neutrality of Hong Kong – 165Conflicts In perspective – 1857. The Cold War’s Odd Couple – 187The making of an unintended partnership – 189Notes – 200Bibliography – 243Index – 259