ABSTRACT
Since the end of the Cold War, the strategic focus of the United States has shifted from Europe to East Asia, in recognition of East Asia’s growing economic importance and the strategic dynamism of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).1
In this context, the prospect for war in the Taiwan Strait has emerged as a major preoccupation of U.S. policymakers. The March 1996 U.S.–China confrontation, when the PRC carried out military exercises and missile tests near Taiwan and the United States deployed two aircraft carriers to the region, placed this concern at the forefront of U.S. strategic planning. The result has been increased U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, the beginnings of a U.S.–Taiwan defense relationship focused on wartime cooperation, and heightened U.S. interest in missile defense.2
