ABSTRACT
The derecognition of Taiwan on January 1, 1979 and the signing of the August 17, 1982 communique between the US and China sent major shock waves through the military establishment on Taiwan. These two events, in particular the August 1982 Communique, have led many to believe that Taiwan’s military capabilities would inevitably deteriorate over time, weakening the island’s security to the point that Beijing might be tempted to take military action to reunite the province with the mainland.
