Fifty years ago separation prevented the people in Taiwan from taking a close look at the political and economic developments, and many other changes in culture, education, laws and regulations in Mainland China. Nowadays, cross-strait relations have entered a brand new stage with close personal relationships as well as economic and trade exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. The time for launching thorough and comprehensive research on Mainland China is ripe.These developments prompted the Ministry of Education to dispatch an official request, dated August 11, 1991, to Tamkang University. The request asked Tamkang to conduct research on cross-strait relations. The Ministry of Education even suggested that a Graduate Institute of Chinese Studies be established to train researchers to undertake in-depth studies on Mainland China affairs to promote practical solutions and ways to cope with the ever-changing cross-strait situation in the future. Besides, we have been offering a master program since 1998.