The last decade of the 20th century was a period of transformation and growth for Taiwan. Surviving the 1996 Taiwan Strait missile crisis, the country successfully held its first-ever direct presidential election, marking a crucial turning point in the democratization process. However, on the path of democratic transition, progressive and conservative forces continued to clash, and the potential for ethnic division and conflict lingered. The fragile democracy still needed careful consolidation, even though Taiwan had overcome significant challenges.
20世紀的最後十年是台灣蛻變成長的時代,挺過1996年台海飛彈危機,台灣完成第一次總統直選。然而,在民主轉型的道路上,進步與守舊勢力依然交鋒不斷,另潛伏著族群分裂與衝突,脆弱的民主仍需小心鞏固。《國際橋牌社3》以原本情同手足的財團總裁、總統的分道揚鑣,展開1996至1999年間國內政治、國際外交的風雲詭譎局面。