Document Type
Article
Disciplines
International Law
Abstract
On September 2, 1992 President George Bush announced that his Administration would approve the sale of 150 F-16 advanced jet fighters to Taiwan, the Republic of China (ROC).1 Coming at the peak of the 1992 presidential election, the President clearly intended the announcement to garner votes. Without the sales, F-16 production facilities in several states would have shut down, resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs.' Whatever its motivation, however, this was not merely a decision that affected jobs or the Presidential election; it represented a drastic change in a policy towards Taiwan and the People's Republic of China (PRC), which the United States had followed for almost fifteen years. This paper will examine the legal basis for the United States' unique relationship with Taiwan, and its policy regarding arms transfers to that nation, culminating in President Bush's approval of F-16 sales in 1992.
Recommended Citation
Jones, Colin P.A., "United States Arms Exports to Taiwan Under the Taiwan Relations Act: The Failed Role of Law in United States Foreign Relations" (1993). Connecticut Journal of International Law. 214.
https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/cjil/214
Accessibility Requirements
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