1995–96: The Taiwan Strait Crisis

Abstract

On the 22 May 1995 the Clinton administration publicly announced that it was granting permission for the Taiwanese President Lee Tenghui to visit his Alma Mater, Cornell University, for a reunion. The Chinese government responded with strong protests, the suspension of dialogues with both the US and Taiwan, and soon thereafter, highly publicised military exercises in and around the Taiwan Straits. The exercises were met with protests from Washington. Following mounting tensions, and with the spectre of the forthcoming elections in Taiwan, Washington eventually deployed the Seventh Fleet to the area. The situation remained on this political knife-edge right up until the elections had taken place on Taiwan, upon which, shortly thereafter tensions reduced, the militaries were removed, and efforts towards reestablishing a peaceful balance between each of the parties in their bilateral relations were introduced.