Various U.S. interests support continuing arms sales to, and close economic relations with, an autonomous Taiwan. For instance, the U.S. defense industry profits from, and so encourages, Taiwan’s weapons procurement. Diplomats, the Pentagon, scholars, and other analysts have argued that arms sales help Taiwan defend itself, strengthen morale among Taiwan’s population, deter Beijing, insure Taipei has the confidence to negotiate with China, and that—if talks go wrong—Taiwan could fight until U.S. forces arrived. Weapons manufacturers also focus on the money and the jobs to be had for Americans. F-16 fighter aircraft illustrate the critical significance of defense contractors in sustaining the Taiwan relationship. George H. W. Bush, ignoring commitments to Beijing as well as objections from within his administration, decided to sell 150 fighters to Taipei during the 1992 presidential election campaign, hoping to insure re-election by providing a $4 billion contract and 5,800 jobs to General Dynamics’ operations in Texas.7 In 2011, a bipartisan group of 45 U.S. senators advocating new F-16 sales and upgrades of existing aircraft not only warned President Obama that Taiwan would be forced to ground some 70 percent of its fighters by 2020 without U.S. action, but that Lockheed Martin’s F-16 production line would shut down without orders for Taiwan. Industry analysts estimate this would mean the loss of some 11,000 jobs in 43 states.8
Various U.S. interests support continuing arms sales to Taiwan the U.S. defense industry profits from, and so encourages, Taiwan’s weapons procurement Weapons manufacturers focus on the money and the jobs to be had for Americans. F-16 fighter aircraft illustrate the critical significance of defense contractors in sustaining the Taiwan relationship 45 U.S. senators advocating new F-16 sales and upgrades of existing aircraft not only warned that Lockheed Martin’s F-16 production line would shut down without orders for Taiwan. Industry analysts estimate this would mean the loss of some 11,000 jobs in 43 states