How Taiwanese Americans Influence American ForeignPolicy on U.S., China, and Taiwan Relations (Using the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act as a Model)

In February of 1999,the Pentagon delivered to Congress a report entitled The Security Situation in the Taiwan Strait. This report stated that Red China has been and will continue to deploy a large number of missiles directly across the Taiwan Strait from Taiwan. In fact, according to media reports, China already has more than 150 such missiles aimed at Taiwan and plans to increase the number to 650 during the next few year. Taiwan has virtually no defenses against these missiles. In 1995, 1996, and again in 1999 Red China demonstrated its willingness to use these missiles to intimidate Taiwan. Such actions require that the United States fulfill its obligations to Taiwan as specified by the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979. On March 24,1999, Senators Torricelli of New Jersey and Helms of North Carolina introduced a bill entitled the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act (S.693). The act will authorize more U.S. arm sales to Taiwan and increase cooperation between the U.S. and Taiwanese militaries. Using the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act as an example, I show that Taiwanese American organizations influence U.S. foreign policy through extensive lobbying by Taiwanese Americans and Congress. In this research, I focus not only on the on the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act, but I will critically evaluate the processes of this act. This includes an analysis of Taiwanese organizations that are instrumental in the process. By using this act as a model to gauge the effectiveness of the Taiwanese Americans and the Taiwan lobby to influence American foreign policy regarding Taiwan