{
  "id": "RL34441",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL34441",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 347164,
      "date": "2008-04-04",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-07T03:31:54.148099",
      "title": "Security Implications of Taiwan\u2019s Presidential Election of March 2008",
      "summary": "This CRS Report analyzes the security implications of Taiwan\u2019s presidential election of March 22, 2008. This analysis draws in part from direct information gained through a visit to Taiwan to observe the election and to discuss views with a number of interlocutors, including those advising or aligned with President Chen Shui-bian and President-elect Ma Ying-jeou. This CRS Report will discuss the results of Taiwan\u2019s presidential election and symbolic yet sensitive referendums on U.N. membership, outlook for Taiwan\u2019s stability and policies, implications for U.S. security interests, and options for U.S. policymakers in a window of opportunity. This report will not be updated.\nThe United States positioned two aircraft carriers near Taiwan. Thus, there was U.S. relief when the referendums, as targets of the People\u2019s Republic of China (PRC)\u2019s condemnation, failed to be valid. Kuomintang (KMT) candidate Ma Ying-jeou won with a surprising and solid margin of victory (17 percent; 2.2 million votes), against Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Frank Hsieh.\nThe near-term outlook for Taiwan\u2019s future is positive for stability and in policy-making on defense. However, in the longer term, the question of Taiwan\u2019s identity and sovereignty as separate from the PRC remains unsettled. Moreover, the People\u2019s Liberation Army (PLA) has continued to build up its forces that threaten Taiwan, raising the issue of whether the military balance already has shifted to favor the PRC.\nThe results of March 22 sapped the PRC\u2019s alarmist warnings about the election and referendums, although it might still warn about instability until the inauguration on May 20 while Chen is still president. Nevertheless, cross-strait tension is greatly reduced. Chen is effectively weakened and concentrating on the transition. Ma is less provocative towards Beijing than Chen. Ma gives pro-U.S. assurances. There is future uncertainty, however, as the KMT could choose to accommodate Beijing, challenge Beijing, or seek a bipartisan consensus on national security.\nIn one view, there is an opportunity to turn U.S. attention from managing the cross-strait situation to more urgent priorities that require the PRC\u2019s improved cooperation, such as dealing with nuclear proliferation in North Korea and Iran, the crisis in Darfur in Sudan, repression in Burma, the crackdown in Tibet, etc. Alternatively, a window of opportunity is presented for the first time in years to take steps to sustain U.S. interests in security and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Considerations include whether to counter perceptions in Beijing of \u201cco-management\u201d with Washington and rising expectations about U.S. concessions to PRC demands, notions denied by the Administration. An issue for policymakers is what approach to take in a window of opportunity. U.S. policymakers have various options to: continue the existing approach; engage with president-elect Ma (including a possible U.S. visit before his inauguration); strengthen ties for Taiwan\u2019s military, political, and economic security (including a possible consideration of its request for F-16C/D fighters); promote a new cross-strait dialogue; and conduct a strategic review of policy toward Taiwan.",
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      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
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      "topics": []
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  "topics": [
    "Foreign Affairs",
    "National Defense"
  ]
}