Flashpoint in the Taiwan strait

Orbis

Volumn 44, Issue 4, 2000, Pages 615-629

  Dreyer, June Teufel ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 1642583456     PISSN: 00304387     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/S0030-4387(00)00047-8     Document Type: Article

References (53)

1. A version of this paper was presented at the Foreign Policy Research Institute conference "Flashpoints in Asia," Philadelphia, May 12, 2000.
2. One of the worst incidents occurred in April 1994, when 24 tourists from Taiwan on an excursion on Zhejiang's Qiandao lake were robbed and locked into the hold of their boat, which was set on fire. There were no survivors. The suspicions of the victims' relatives were aroused when mainland police could find no eyewitnesses, and officials cremated the remains before an independent investigation could take place. For Beijing's reply, see "Both Sides of the Taiwan Strait Are Torn By Sorrow and Anger, and the Souls of the Deceased Are Comforted Through Strict Law Enforcement," Xinhua, June 17, 1994.
3. There is disagreement as to whether Hokkienese should be considered a dialect or a language. The PRC, along with some linguists elsewhere, regards it as a dialect of Mandarin. Others believe that Mandarin, Hokkienese, Hakka, and other tongues evolved from the same linguistic tree but are separate languages. See Shih Cheng-feng, "Ethnic Differentiation in Taiwan," Journal of Law and Political Science, no. 4 (1995), pp. 89-111.
4. In June 2000, the Chinese central news agency expressed concern that the PRC would be unable to embrace globalization until it could first achieve a unified national market. It called for elimination of local protectionism or "vassal separatism," which was distorting market competition. See "Breaking Barriers: China's 'Nationalization' Drive," Xinhua, June 30, 2000.
5. Taiwan has never been part of the People's Republic of China. Hence the quotation marks around recovery. For the same reason, unification will be used in preference to reunification except when a direct quote is involved.
6. For an analysis of the talks, see Hungdah Chiu, "The Koo-Wang talks and the Prospect of Building Constructive and Stable Relations Across the Taiwan Strait," Issues and Studies, Aug. 1993, pp. 1-36.
7. Dick Kirschten, "The Other China," National Journal, Oct. 8, 1994, pp. 12-15.
8. An agreement was eventually reached that allowed the Taiwan government to change the name of its unofficial embassy from the confusing "Coordination Council for North American Affairs" (CCNAA) to "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office" (TECRO).
9. The Paula Corbin Jones case, which was postponed at the last minute.
10. See, e.g., Richard Halloran, "Clinton's Turnaround On Taipei Policy," Global Beat Issue Brief no. 40, July 14, 1998, Center for War, Peace, and the News Media.
11. Passed the Senate and House on July 10 and 17, 1998, respectively.
12. "Obuchi, Jiang To Reaffirm 1972 Joint Communiqué," Yomiuri Shimbun (Tokyo), Nov. 23, 1998.
13. See also "Japan Flatly Rebuffs Pressure Over Taiwan, War Apology," Hong Kong Standard, Oct. 29, 1998. According to Japanese sources, Beijing's pressure tactics to state the three noes caused considerable resentment in Japan.
14. "ROC President Spells Out Cross-Taiwan Strait Relations," Central News Agency, July 20, 1999. "Spade" quote from author's interviews, Taipei, late July 1999.
15. See, e.g., Lauren Chen, "Soong Hogs China Policy Limelight," Taipei Times, Jan. 3, 2000.
16. "The One-China Principle and the Taiwan Issue," Xinhua, Feb. 21, 2000.
17. Mainland Affairs Council, Executive Yuan, Republic of China, How Taipei Views Beijing's White Paper (Taipei: Shanghai Printing Company, Apr. 2000).
18. Dave Boyer, "U.S. Cautions China Over Taiwan Threats," Washington Times, Mar. 17, 2000.
19. "Chen Calls For 'Peace Summit,'" Taipei Times, Mar. 21, 2000.
20. John Pomfret, "Beijing Firm on Condition for Taiwan Talks," Washington Post, Apr. 8, 2000.
21. Zhou Jianming, director of the Institute of Asian and Pacific Studies of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences and adviser to the Chinese government, quoted in "Danger That Taipei May Misread Beijing," Straits Times (Singapore), Apr. 10, 2000.
22. In recognition of the similar phenomenon in Fifth Republic France, Harvey Sicherman has termed Chen's move a "neo-Gaullist levitation beyond party strife." See Sicherman, "Taiwan's New President: One If and Five Noes," Foreign Policy Research Institute E-Note, June 2, 2000.
23. See, e.g., Cao Chang-ching, "Has Chen Already Failed the One China' Test?" Taipei Times, May 5, 2000.
24. Chen Shui-bian, "Taiwan Stands Up: Toward the Dawn of a Rising Era," Republic of China Government Information Offfice, May 20, 2000 (http://th.gio.gov.tw/pi2000/dow-2.htm).
25. Associated Press, "Beijing Demands Taiwan's DPP Drop Independence Plank," June 21, 2000.
26. Andrew Perrin, "Taiwan Concessions Bring Criticism: Leader Faces Unrest Within Own Party," USA Today, July 6, 2000. Perrin quotes DPP leader Parris Chang as saying that the Clinton administration applied pressure on Chen through informal channels. When Chen was choosing his cabinet, there were persistent rumors that Washington warned Chen that it would find Parris Chang unacceptable as secretary of state. Chang was not offered the job.
27. See also "Chen Has Gone Too Far This Time," Taipei Times, June 29, 2000.
28. Reuters, "Pro-Chen Company Alleges Mainland Pressures," June 7, 2000.
29. Yan Xuetong, "Taiwan: A Ticking Time Bomb," Asian Wall Street Journal Weekly, May 15-21, 2000. Mr. Yan is a research fellow at the China Institute of International Relations in Beijing.
30. Report to Congress Pursuant to the FY 99 Appropriations Bill, p. 4 (http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/ twstrait02261999.html);
31. Report to Congress Pursuant to the FY 2000 National Defense Authorization Act, pp. 14-15 (http://www.defenselink.mil/news/jun2000/China06222000.html).
32. Bill Gertz, "Chinese Missiles Could Hit U.S. Forces," Washington Times, Mar. 29, 2000.
33. Trevor Hollingsbee, "Spy Plane Adds To PLA Arsenal," South China Morning Post, Apr. 24, 2000.
34. Amnon Barzilai, "Russia Ready to Sell China Spy Plane If Israel Reneges," Ha'aretz (Tel Aviv), July 4, 2000.
35. William Safire, "Ally Vs. Customer," New York Times, Apr. 6, 2000;
36. Greg Torode, "The Military Ties That Bind With Israel," South China Morning Post, Apr. 13, 2000.
37. "China Refuels, Mid-Flight," Far Eastern Economic Review, May 11, 2000, p. 12.
38. Charles Smith, "Navy to Get Russian 'Sunburn' Advanced Missile. Nuclear Warhead Version Already in China's Hands," ChinaGate, Apr. 25, 2000.
39. Brian Hsu, "China Preparing Post-Inaugural Military Exercise," Taipei Times, Apr. 25, 2000;
40. Sofia Wu, "Defense Minister Maps Out ROC's Military Build-Up Plans," part I, Central News Agency, July 2, 2000;
41. "PLA Reportedly Preparing Troops for War With Taiwan," Ming Pao, Apr. 25, 2000;
42. Author's interviews, Nov. 1999. An article in a Chinese Communist Party-owned Hong Kong newspaper mentions the "unusual arrogance" of some soldiers and military experts in denigrating the fighting power of the United States. See Kao Chieh-chien, "What Limits Has 'Unrestricted Warfare' Exceeded - Also Discussing the Phenomenon Where Readers and Experts Stick To Their Own Views," Ta Kung Pao, June 29, 2000.
43. Associated Press, "Jet Fighters Aplenty, But Where Are the Pilots?" Straits Times, Apr. 26, 2000.
44. Thomas Ricks, "Taiwan Seen As Vulnerable To Attack," Washington Post, Mar. 31, 2000;
45. Bill Gertz and Rowan Scarborough, "Inside the Ring, Taiwan Report Held," Washington Times, Mar. 31, 2000.
46. Jane Perlez, "US, With Eye on China, Settles on Weapons for Taiwan," New York Times, Apr. 18, 2000;
47. John Godfrey, "Taiwan's Defense Package Criticized," Washington Times, Apr. 19, 2000.
48. Nikolay Novichkov, "First Lot of Moskit Missiles Shipped to China," Itar-TASS, May 16, 2000.
49. Michael Tsai, "Military Needs Efficiency, Not Aegis," Taipei Times, Apr. 23, 2000.
50. William Ide, "No Go For Aegis Viewed As Prudent Move," Taipei Times, Apr. 29, 2000; personal communication from Dr. Larry Wortzel, May 8, 2000, Washington, D.C.
51. Kenneth Allen et al., "Theater Missile Defenses in the Asia-Pacific Region," Henry L. Stimson Working Group Report (Washington, D.C.: Henry L. Stimson Center, June 2000), pp. vii, ix.
52. Jane Perlez, "China Likely To Modernize Nuclear Arms, U.S. Believes," New York Times, May 12, 2000.
53. Herman Pan and Sophia Wu, "US Arms Sales To Taiwan Down 62.4% in FY 1999," Central News Agency, Apr. 17, 2000.