The Third Taiwan Strait Crisis, also called the 1995–1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis or the 1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis, was the effect of a series of missile tests conducted by the China, People's Republic of China (PRC) in the waters surrounding Geography of Taiwan, Taiwan, including the Taiwan Strait from 21 July 1995 to 23 March 1996. The first set of missiles fired in mid-to-late 1995 were allegedly intended to send a strong signal to the Government of the Republic of China, Republic of China government under President of the Republic of China, President Lee Teng-hui, who had been seen as moving its foreign policy away from the One-China policy. The second set of missiles were fired in early 1996, allegedly intending to intimidate the Taiwanese electorate in the run-up to the 1996 Taiwan presidential election, 1996 presidential election.

Lee's 1995 visit to Cornell

The crisis began when President Lee Teng-hui accepted an invitation from his alma mater, Cornell University to deliver a speech on "Taiwan's Democratization Experience". Seeking to diplomatically isolate the Republic of China, the PRC opposed such visits by ROC (Taiwanese) leaders. A year earlier, in 1994, when President Lee's plane had stopped in Honolulu to refuel after a trip to South America, the U.S. government under President Bill Clinton refused Lee's request for a visa. Lee had been confined to the military airfield where he landed, forcing him to spend a night on his plane. A U.S. State Department official called the situation "embarrassing" and Lee complained that he was being treated as a second-class leader. After Lee had decided to visit Cornell, U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher assured Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China, PRC Foreign Minister Qian Qichen that a visa for Lee would be "inconsistent with [the U.S.'s] unofficial Taiwan–United States relations, relationship [with Taiwan]." However, the humiliation from Lee's last visit caught the attention of many pro-Taiwan figures in the U.S. and this time, the United States Congress acted on Lee's behalf. In May 1995, a concurrent resolution asking the State Department to allow Lee to visit the U.S. passed the United States House of Representatives, House on 2 May with a vote of 396 to 0 (with 38 not voting), and the United States Senate, Senate on 9 May with a vote of 97 to 1 (with 2 not voting). The State Department relented on 22 May 1995. Lee spent June 9–10, 1995, in the U.S. at a Cornell alumni reunion as the media of China, PRC state press branded him a "traitor" attempting to "split China".

PRC military response

The Government of China, People's Republic of China government under General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, CCP general secretary Jiang Zemin was furious over the U.S.'s policy reversal. On 7 July 1995, PRC responded, the Xinhua News Agency announced missile tests would be conducted by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and argued that this attitude would endanger the peace and safety of the region (Mainlander refers to it as the fourth Taiwan strait crisis). At the same time, the PRC mobilized forces in Fujian. In the later part of July and early August, numerous commentaries were published by Xinhua and the ''People's Daily'' condemning Lee and his cross-strait policies. Another set of missile firings, accompanied by live ammunition exercises, occurred from August 15 to 25, 1995. Naval exercises in August were followed by highly publicized amphibious assault exercises in November.

Initial U.S. military response

The Government of the United States, U.S. government responded by staging the biggest display of American military might in Asia since the Vietnam War. In July 1995, USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3), USS ''Belleau Wood'' (LHA-3) transited the Taiwan Strait, followed by the USS O'Brien (DD-975) and USS McClusky (FFG-41), USS McClusky FFG-41 on December 11–12, 1995. Finally on December 19, 1995, the USS Nimitz (CVN-68), USS ''Nimitz'' (CVN-68) and her Carrier battle group, battle group passed through the straits.

1996 tensions and Taiwan election

Beijing intended to send a message to the Taiwanese electorate that voting for Lee Teng-hui in the 1996 Taiwan presidential election, 1996 presidential election on March 23 meant war. A third set of PLA tests from March 8 to March 15 (just before the election), sent missiles within (just inside the ROC's territorial waters) off the ports of Keelung and Kaohsiung. Over 70 percent of commercial shipping passed through the targeted ports, which were disrupted by the proximity of the tests. Flights to Japan and trans-Pacific flights were prolonged by ten minutes because airplanes needed to detour away from the flight path. Ships traveling between Kaohsiung and Hong Kong had to take a two-hour detour. On 8 March 1996, also 1996 United States presidential election, a presidential election year in the U.S., President Clinton announced that the USS ''Independence'' CV-62 and her Carrier Battlegroup (Carrier Strike Group 5, Carrier Group Five), returning back to Japan from its visit to the Philippines, to international waters near Taiwan. On the following day, the PRC announced Live fire exercise, live-fire exercises to be conducted near Penghu from March 12–20. On March 11, the U.S. dispatched USS ''Nimitz'' CVN-68 and her battlegroup, Carrier Group Seven, which steamed at high speed from the Persian Gulf. Tensions rose further on March 15 when Beijing announced a simulated amphibious assault planned for March 18–25. ''Nimitz'' and her battle group, along with ''Belleau Wood'', sailed through the Taiwan Strait, while ''Independence'' did not.

Aftermath

Sending two carrier battle groups showed not only a symbolic gesture towards the ROC, but a readiness to fight on the part of the U.S. The ROC government and Democratic Progressive Party welcomed America's support, but staunch Chinese unification, unificationist presidential candidate Lin Yang-kang and the PRC decried "foreign intervention." Aware of U.S. Navy carrier battle groups' credible threat to the People's Liberation Army Navy, PLA Navy, the PRC decided to accelerate its military buildup. Soon the People's Republic ordered s from Russia, a Cold War-era class designed to counter U.S. Navy carrier battle groups, allegedly in mid-December 1996 during the visit to Moscow by Chinese Premier Li Peng. The PRC subsequently ordered modern attack submarines () and warplanes (76 Sukhoi Su-30MKK, Su-30MKK and 24 Su-30MK2) to counter the U.S. Navy's carrier groups. The PRC's attempts at intimidation were counterproductive. Arousing more anger than fear, it boosted Lee by 5% in the polls, earning him a majority as opposed to a mere plurality. The military tests and exercises also strengthened the argument for further U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, U.S. arms sales to the ROC and led to the strengthening of Japan–United States relations#Military relations, military ties between the U.S. and Japan, increasing the role Japan would play in defending Taiwan. During the military exercises in March, there were preoccupations in Taiwan that the PRC would occupy some small islands controlled by Taiwan, causing panic among many citizens. Therefore, many flights from Taiwan to the United States and Canada were full. The most likely target was Wuqiu, Kinmen, Wuqiu (Wuchiu), then garrisoned by 500 soldiers. The outlying islands were placed on high alert. The then secretary general of the National Security Council (Taiwan), National Security Council of Taiwan, Ting Mao-shih, flew to New York to meet Sandy Berger, Samuel Berger, Deputy National Security Advisor (United States), Deputy National Security Advisor of the United States.

U.S. order of battle (March 1996 – May 1996)

USS Independence (CV-62) underway at sea on 10 March 1996

U.S. 7th Fleet

* ''Carrier Group 5 - Independence CVBG'' - (East China Sea) ** USS Independence (CV-62), USS ''Independence'' CV-62 (Forrestal-class aircraft carrier, Forrestal Class Carrier) *** Carrier Air Wing Five, ''Carrier Air Wing 5'' ''- NF'' **** VFA-154, VF-154 Black Knights - Grumman F-14 Tomcat, F-14A Tomcat (Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System, TARPS equipped) **** VFA-192, VFA-192 Golden Dragons - McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, F/A-18C Hornet **** VFA-195 (U.S. Navy), VFA-195 Dambusters - F/A-18C Hornet **** VFA-115, VA-115 Eagles - Grumman A-6 Intruder, A-6E SWIP Intruder **** VAQ-136, VAQ-136 Gauntlets - Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler, EA-6B Prowler **** Sea Control Squadron 21, VS-21 Red Tails - Lockheed S-3 Viking, S-3B Viking **** VAW-115, VAW-115 Liberty Bells - Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, E-2C Hawkeye **** VQ-5, VQ-5 Sea Shadows Det.A - ES-3A Shadow **** HSC-14, HS-14 Chargers - Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk, SH-60F Oceanhawk/HH-60H Rescuehawk ** USS Bunker Hill (CG-52), USS ''Bunker Hill'' CG-52 (Ticonderoga-class cruiser, Ticonderoga Class VLS Cruiser) - (Detached from the Battlegroup southeast of the R.O.C.) ** USS Hewitt, USS ''Hewitt'' DD-966 (Spruance-class destroyer, Spruance Class VLS Destroyer) ** USS O'Brien (DD-975), USS ''O'Brien'' DD-975 (Spruance Class VLS Destroyer) ** USS McClusky (FFG-41), USS ''McClusky'' FFG-41 (Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate, Oliver H. Perry Class Frigate)* - ''After May 10, 1996*'' * Nimitz with Independence

''Carrier Group 7'' - ''Nimitz CVBG'' - (Taiwan Strait) ** USS Nimitz (CVN-68), USS ''Nimitz'' CVN-68 (Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, Nimitz Class Carrier) *** ''Carrier Air Wing Nine, Carrier Air Wing 9 - NG'' **** VF-24, VF-24 Fighting Renegades - F-14A Tomcat **** VFA-211 (U.S. Navy), VF-211 Checkmates - F-14A Tomcat (TARPS equipped) **** VFA-146, VFA-146 Blue Diamonds - F/A-18C (Night Attack) Hornet **** VFA-147, VFA-147 Argonauts - F/A-18C (Night Attack) Hornet **** VA-165 (U.S. Navy), VA-165 Boomers - A-6E SWIP Intruder **** VAQ-138, VAQ-138 Yellow Jackets - EA-6B Prowler **** VS-33, VS-33 Screwbirds - S-3B Viking **** VAW-112, VAW-112 Golden Hawks - E-2C Hawkeye **** VQ-5 Sea Shadows Det.C - ES-3A Shadow **** HSC-8, HS-8 Eightballers - SH-60F Oceanhawk/HH-60H Rescuehawk ** USS Port Royal (CG-73), USS ''Port Royal'' CG-73 (Ticonderoga Class VLS Cruiser) ** USS Oldendorf, USS ''Oldendorf'' DD-972 (Spruance Class VLS Destroyer) ** USS Callaghan (DDG-994), USS ''Callaghan'' DD-994 (Kidd-class destroyer, Kidd Class Destroyer) ** USS Ford (FFG-54), USS ''Ford'' FFG-54 (Oliver H. Perry Class Frigate) *''Belleau Wood SAG -'' (Taiwan Strait) **USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3), USS ''Belleau Wood'' LHA-3 (Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship, Tarawa Class Amphibious Assault Ship) ***''31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit - EP'' ****VMA-311, VMA-311 Tomcats Det. - McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, AV-8B Harrier II ****HMLA Det. - Bell AH-1 SuperCobra, AH-1W Super Cobra/Bell UH-1N Twin Huey, UH-1N Twin Huey ****HMH-466, HMH-466 Wolfpack Det. - Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion, CH-53E Super Stallion ****HMM-265, HMM-265 Dragons - Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight, CH-46E Sea Knight

Subsequent prosecutions

In 1999, Major General Liu Liankun, a top Chinese military logistics officer, and his subordinate Senior Colonel Shao Zhengzhong were arrested, court-martialed and executed for disclosing to Taiwan that the missiles had unarmed warheads despite the Chinese government's claims.

Unofficial forewarning

According to Sankei Shimbun series "Secret Records on Lee Teng-hui" dated April 1, 2019, Tseng Yong-hsien, Lee's National Policy Adviser, received a direct message from China official in early July 1995; "Our ballistic missiles will be launched toward Taiwan a couple of weeks later, but you guys don't have to worry." This was communicated to Lee soon after, to prevent escalation. Tseng, as an envoy of Lee, had met President Yang Shangkun in 1992 and had a secret connection with Ye Xuanning, Head of the Liaison Department of the PLA.The series was later published as a book: 李登輝秘録 (Ri Touki Hiroku) .

References

External links

The Taiwan Strait Crisis of 1996: Strategic Implications for the United States Navy
{{coord missing, Taiwan Taiwan Strait, Crisis 1995 in China 1995 in Taiwan 1996 in China 1996 in Taiwan Conflicts in 1995 Conflicts in 1996 Cross-Strait conflict Naval history of China Taiwan under Republic of China rule Military history of Taiwan