ABSTRACT
A significant portion of Clinton's two-track approach to China was an improved public relations campaign in the United States to convince the American people of the need for closer relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC). With the Taiwan crisis in remission, the Clinton administration turned to other pressing matters in Sino- American relations. People's Liberation Army capabilities to attack Taiwan, Taiwan's defense capabilities, and the probability of US military intervention. The many elements of the Taiwan conundrum in US China policy came to a head in 1996, as the United States faced a choice of either standing aside while the PRC threatened Taiwan with increasing bellicosity or intervening on Taiwan's behalf and thereby placing at risk the policy of engagement with China. The Intelligence and Research director warned, however: China is modernizing, its armed forces, acquiring advanced military systems, including fighter aircraft and surface-to-air missiles, to complement indigenous weapons development programs which have achieved only limited success.
