10. Taiwan Security Enhancement Act
Greg May, the Nixon Center Assistant Director and Research Associate in Chinese Studies, says that the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act (TSEA) worsens an already tense situation in the Taiwan Straits without actually doing anything substantial to "enhance" Taiwan's security. Cheng-yi Lin, a Research Fellow at the Institute of European and American Studies of Academia Sinica in Taiwan, notes that Taiwan is the only one of the major recipients of US military equipment that does not maintain diplomatic relations with the US. Lin argues that even with the passage of the TSEA, the relationship between the US and Taiwan will not reach the level of a military alliance. An editorial in Taiwan News argues that the TSEA would make up for deficiencies in the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act.
"REALITY CHECK: House Enhances Tensions, Not Taiwan's Security"
"TSEA: A Stabilizing Factor in the Taiwan Strait"
"TSEA is a Right Step"
Stratfor argues that the US government is trying to postpone the settlement of both the issues of military sales to Taiwan and Normal Trade Relations for the PRC until Taiwan's presidential campaign ends next month, in order to avert a crisis similar to the one in 1996.
"Washington Tries to Keep the Two Chinas in Check"