Such is the grim prospect underlying the Bush administration's hotly debated decision about new arms sales to Taiwan. The United States insists Taiwan's status must be resolved peacefully and is pledged to help Taiwan acquire enough weapons to defend against Chinese attack. The current question is whether to sell Taiwan an advanced ship-borne radar system known as Aegis. In theory, Aegis could someday help Taiwan link up to a planned U.S. missile defense system and blunt the threat of China's missile buildup opposite the island.
China bitterly opposes the sale.
Conservatives in Congress want President Bush to approve it. He chose not to. This question is tricky because the Taiwan issue comes wrapped in a tangle of history and emotions. Getting Taiwan back has become a visceral nationalist issue on the mainland. It's seen as a way to obtain redress for historic slights by foreigners, proof that China can maintain control over other restless provinces.