.U.S Military Support to Taiwan

Impact of U.S Military Support to Taiwan on the U.S-China Relations

Impact of U.S Military Support to Taiwan on the U.S-China Relations

Introduction

The conflict over Taiwan dates back to 1949, when Chinese communists established the People's Republic of China on the Chinese mainland. Supporters of China's ousted Nationalist government then fled to Taiwan, which is an island approximately 100 miles off China's coast. Since then, China has claimed Taiwan as one of its provinces and threatened to use force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan, which has continued to call itself the Republic of China, has refused to succumb. Since then, U.S had supported Taiwan and the relationship between the U.S. and the People's Republic of China is full of complexity as it does not allow integration of total friendship between them due to Taiwan (Bernice, 1999, 16-53). Taiwan and the PRC were separated shortly after having achieved union at the end of World War II because of the victory in the civil war, by the Communist Party and the Chinese Nationalist Party, called the Kuomintang in 1949. From here the relationship took a turn as the U.S. tripolarity because of the context of the Cold War and its interests, was involved supporting Taiwan. For a particular period of time, U.S.A has been providing the military support to Taiwan that has influenced the U.S. and China relations. This paper addresses the extent to which the support to Taiwan has influenced the political and economic relations of both the countries and how can it impact the terms between U.S.A. and China in the future.

Background

For more than 50 years, policy makers have debated whether the U.S. should defend Taiwan, which China considers a renegade province. Although the U.S. has long supplied Taiwan with defensive weapons, public officials have avoided stating whether they would commit U.S. troops to defend Taiwan from an attack by China (Bernice, 1999, 16-53). Recently, however, some policy makers have called for a stronger U.S. commitment to Taiwan. Policy makers who advocate a stronger U.S. commitment to Taiwan have criticized the decision not to provide them the modernized system as Minority leader Richard Gephardt says that “I have serious questions about the Bush administration's decision not to give you control destroyers equipped with the advanced in Taiwan " (David, 2001, 61-82).

Yet the support has been supported by some U.S. policy makers. Proponents say that the weapons represent a notable increase in Taiwan's military capabilities and point out that the U.S. can always choose to deliver the Aegis system later, if needed. "I believe Taiwan should be able to defend itself, and I support the administration in making prudent arms sales to the Taiwanese," says Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D, Conn.) (David, 2001, 61-82).

Although Chinese officials laud the decision not to supply Taiwan with the Aegis system, they nevertheless decry the weapons sale. The weapons will "seriously undermine China's sovereignty, interfere in China's internal affairs and will give rise to tension across the Taiwan Strait," ...