Analysis On The Policy Of The United States Arms Sales To Taiwan During The Reagan Administration

The policy of the United States arms sales to Taiwan is an important component of the United States China policy. President Reagan comes on stage when China and United States just established diplomatic relations, but the United States had still not solved the issue of the United States arms sales to Taiwan. Thus after China and the United States established diplomatic relations, this issue has hindered a biggest carry-over question on the Sino-U.S. relations. But this biggest carry-over question was solved temporarily through"the August 17,1982 Communique"signed by China and the United States ."the August 17,1982 Communique"made us have the hope of settled the issue of the United States arms sales to Taiwan thoroughly. If the United States observed it's pledge in the Communique completely , it would just round the corner of solving the issue of the United States arms sales to Taiwan thoroughly. However, After"the August 17,1982 Communique", the United States implemented a policy of reducing arms sales to Taiwan on the surface,and in fact enhancing the level of arms sales to Taiwan secretly,which made the hope become more and more uncertain. After the United States and Taiwan broken diplomatic relation, arms sales to Taiwan was the most important method of the United States meddlling the Taiwan problem, interfering Chinese internal affairs,which served the American national interests fundamentally . The evolution of the policy on arms sales to Taiwan during the Reagan administration is also the process of the United States seeking to realize the United States maximum national interests in the Sino-U.S. relations.As the second administration since China and the United States established diplomatic relations, the Reagan administration displayed the function of this tool fully.This article attempts to analyze the evolution, reasons and influence of Reagan administration's policy on arms sales to Taiwan. The main text is divided into four parts:The first part summarizes the origin of the United States arms sales to Taiwan,and the policy on arms sales to Taiwan during the Carter administration. The issue of the United States arms sales to Taiwan may pursue to the American aids and the supports to the Kuomintang Government during the World War II period .This is the predecessor of the United States arms sales to Taiwan. When China and the United States have just established diplomatic relations, the United States had still not solved the issue of arms sales to Taiwan.The Carter Administration formulated "The Taiwan Relations Act"unilaterally, and China has been condemning and objecting to it all the time. They didn't achieve mutual recognition on the issue of the United States arms sales to Taiwan.The second part elaborates the evolution of the policy on arms sales to Taiwan during the Reagan administration. The policy on arms sales to Taiwan during the Reagan administration is divided into two stages,and"the August 17,1982 Communique"is the watershed.Before"the August 17,1982 Communique", the United States implemented a policy of enhancing the level of arms sales to Taiwan.After"the August 17,1982 Communique", the United States implemented a policy of reducing arms sales to Taiwan on the surface,and in fact enhancing the level of arms sales to Taiwan secretly.The third part analyzes reasons of the policy on arms sales to the Taiwan during the Reagan administration. The policy on arms sales to Taiwan during the Reagan administration is not only related with the American security strategy as well as the relations between the United States and the two sides across the Straits closely,but also has huge economic, political , ideology initiatives.The fourth part elaborates historical influence of the policy on arms sales to Taiwan during the Reagan administration. The policy on arms sales to Taiwan during the Reagan administration made the United States realize the national interests which has been decided. But it becomes a hidden danger on the Sino-U.S. relations,and has important impacts to the U.S.-China relations, the two sides relations across the Straits and the East Asian's situation.These four parts elaborations make the policy of arms sales to Taiwan during the Reagan administration clear . The article points out finally, until now, the issue of the United States arms sales to Taiwan still have not been solved thoroughly, and has the tendency enlarged gradually. In the future which may foresee, the policy of the United States meddlling the Taiwan issue, suppressing Chinese develop, realizing the United States maximum national interests through arms sales to Taiwan will not change radically.