After The Cold War The United States Arms Sales To Taiwan Studies

U.S. arms sales to Taiwan is a sensitive issue in Sino-US relations, it is alsoone of the main problems that affecting the healthy bilateral relationships sincethe establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States.During the Cold War, in the context of Sino-US joint anti-Soviet Union, theUnited States adopted a relatively cautious attitude to the issue of arms sales toTaiwan. Though experience ups and downs, arms sales keeping running in a lowlevel. Since the end of the Cold War, the international situation is undergoingprofound changes, the strategic foundation between China and the United Stateslost. The tripartite relationship among China, United States and Taiwan changed.The attitude of U.S. on arms sales to Taiwan adjusted, showing a significantpost-Cold War era characteristics.George Bush administration tried to make change by continuous pressurepolicy on China, and the arms sales to Taiwan was regarded as a tool ofcontaining the development of China. He changed the former cautious arms salespolicy to Taiwan during the Cold War, and sold150F-16fighters to Taiwan,which began the process to upgrade arms sales after the Cold War. Bill Clintonadministration tried to keep "strategic engagement" with China, but continue tostrengthen arms sales to Taiwan, by increasing the US-Taiwan militaryexchanges and weapons software, the arms sales to Taiwan graduallysystematized. After George W. Bush took office, China was positioned as a"strategic competitor". Enhancing Taiwan’s defense capabilities was regarded asan important aspect of U.S. policy towards Taiwan. As a result, the quantity andquality of arms sales increased substantially.In the wake of the “9·11” terrorist attacks, with the improvement of theSino-US relations and the radical independence routes of the Chen Shui-bianauthorities,U.S. arms sales policy to Taiwan re-turned to cautious. At the sametime, US and Taiwan faced a series of problems to enforce those arms salesprotocols.The contradictions between US and Taiwan in the filed of arms salesissue surfaced. The Obama administration needed China’s help to restorenational strength, so as to take a relatively circuitous approach on the issue ofarms sales, trying to control its impact on the Sino-US relations through cautious and compromise way. But in fact, it actually achieved a historic leap in theamount of arms sales to Taiwan. In2012, Obama began its second term of office,Sino-US relations continue to run-in,"return to Asia" strategy, the developmentof cross-strait relations, all of which gives rise to the variables of arms salesissue.Since the end of the Cold War, a series of new factors affecting U.S. armssales to Taiwan. In this period, the strategic foundation of China-US relationsreconstructed, which was a strategic factor of the issue. From pressure policy onan" alien "to prevent a potential" competitors ", then to accepting the fact thatthe rise of China. The direction of arms sales issue is largely deponds on thestrategic adjustment of the United States on China. On the other hand, thedevelopment of cross-strait relations is an important constraint to the UnitedStates. Lee Teng-hui, Chen Shui-bian’s "Taiwan independence" line causedtension to the cross-strait relations, which give an excuse to the U.S. arms sales toTaiwan. But after the KMT came to power again, the United States feardcross-strait relations become too close, so continue arms sales to Taiwan. Theimpact of cross-strait relationships on the United States arms sales become moresubtle. Economic factors have become increasingly prominent role in post-ColdWar period, it is not only reflected in the arms trade interests, but also reflectsthe indirect effects of the economic partnership between the arms sales process.Sino-US military relations in the context of China rising has gone beyond therange to prevent conflict in the Taiwan Strait, military exchanges have a muchricher meaning, and become one of the potential means of restricting the U.S.‘sactivities on arms sales. Changes in U.S. domestic political factors in the electionpolitics, congressional politics, political parties in power and other factors alsosignificantly influence U.S.’s arms sales to Taiwan. It can be predicted thatfactors in post-Cold War era that affect U.S. arms sales to Taiwan will be morediverse and complex.The solution of the issue of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan is a long-term process.The first negative factor of this problem is that it will from time to time tostirring up the healthy bilateral relations, even Undermine the strategicopportunities for China. Measures must be taken to control the issue effectively.On one hand, we should enhance the Sino-US strategic mutual trust, promote Sino-US economic ties, strengthen the Sino-US military exchanges, grasp therules of U.S. domestic politics, so as to accumulate more positive energy. On theother hand, we must firmly grasp the overall situation of the development ofcross-strait peace, to promote cross-strait cooperation, and enhance cross-straitnational identity, hopes Taiwan appointment. In addition, we must strengthenthe national defense modernization, enhance deterrence and combat capability,and provide a powerful guarantee for a peaceful settlement of the Taiwan issue.