Taiwan will be keeping a close eye on the Communist Party's 17th National Congress to see whether the mainland's ruling party will adopt any policy guidelines detrimental to the island.
But cross-strait experts do not think anything concrete will be decided in terms of action against the island at the meeting, despite a string of provocative moves by Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian.
Nor do they feel that Mr Chen's moves have put pressure on the mainland leadership, led by Communist Party general secretary and President Hu Jintao , to allow more hawkish members, including those from the military, into the Politburo.
While the mainland might sharpen its rhetoric against Mr Chen and his government, Alexander Huang Chieh-cheng, professor of strategic studies and dean of the American Studies Institute at Tamkang University, said it was unlikely the party congress would focus its discussions on Taiwan.
'I believe the 17th Congress will focus on high-level personnel changes, the domestic political situation and internal party issues,' said Professor Huang, a former vice-chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), the island's top mainland policy planner. 'And I don't expect a surprise statement [about Taiwan].'
Beijing has recently stepped up the rhetoric against Taiwan since Mr Chen provoked it by vowing to seek United Nations membership in the name of 'Taiwan' and hold a referendum on the issue alongside the island's presidential election in March.