1990-95

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The chronology will be expanded to track major cross-straits issues and events so check back often.


CONFLICT TIMELINE


1990 March 24, China (People's Republic)/Taiwan (National Republic): The Taiwan-Invested Enterprises Association is established in Beijing as the first trade association of Taiwan businessmen in the mainland.

1990, June 11, China (People's Republic): CPC General Secretary Jiang Zemin issues a statement at the opening ceremony of the "National United Front Meeting," reiterating Beijing's position on the Taiwan issue. "As long as the two parties sit down, discuss reunification under the prerequisite of one-China, and not attempt to create 'two-Chinas', 'one China, one Taiwan', or 'one country, two governments', then all issues can be brought up for discussion and negotiations."

1990 June 29, Taiwan (National Republic): Participants of the "National Affairs Committee" convened by the ROC government call for "relaxation of functional exchanges and limitations on political negotiations" and creating a special government unit and an authorized intermediary agency to handle cross-strait relations.

1990 Sept. 12, International: Red Cross Societies, representing the PRC and the ROC, sign the Kinmen Accord. This is the first agreement reached by private organizations withprovisions for the repatriation of individuals, criminals, and suspects who illegally enter the territory of the other.

1990 Oct. 7, Taiwan (National Republic): ROC President Lee Teng-hui meets with representatives from major political parties and civil organizations to create the National Unification Council under the Presidential Office. They're responsible for establishing the Guidelines for National Unification.

1992 May 16, Taiwan (National Republic): Taiwan's sedition law, Article 100 of the criminal code, is revised. It is now no longer a crime to advocate Taiwan independence or Communism.

1995 June 16: China (People's Republic): Beijing postpones talks with Taiwan scheduled for July.

1995 July 19, Taiwan (National Republic): Taiwan's stockmarket falls 229 points (4.2-percent) in response to a Chinese announcement on July 18th that they will be conducting missile tests north of Taipei in the East China Sea.

1995 July 22-24, China (People's Republic): China launches four surface-to-surface M-9 missiles and two mid-range test missiles (all tactical ballistic missiles) across the East China Sea, just north of Taiwan. This forces the diversion of hundreds of international flights and shipping.

1995 Aug. 10, China (People's Republic): China announces a second round of missile exercises north of Taiwan.

1995 Aug. 15-25, China (People's Republic): The Chinese declare off-limits a target area 50 times larger than the first exercises. This effectively creates a partial blockade of Taiwan. The exercise will test fire anti-ship cruise missiles and live artillery fire.

1995 Sept. 3, Taiwan (National Republic): Taiwan takes delivery of two E-2Ts (ex-US Navy E-2Bs with the APS-138 radar) which extend Taiwan's advance warning of any attack to 25 minutes from the current five. Four E-2Ts had been purchased from US defense contractor Grumman, valued at US$749.5 million.

1995 Sept. 21, Taiwan (National Republic): The United Nations rejects a membership bid (by the Kuomintang ruling party of Taiwan) under the name "Republic of China on Taiwan." The bid is sponsored by twenty countries mostly Caribbean, Central American, and African countries.

1995 Oct. 5, Taiwan (National Republic): A 100-minute large-scale military exercise near Taiwan's southern coast is conducted during the build-up to National Day on October 10. The "Hua Hsing Exercise," in which no shot was fired, involved a review of some 60 frigates, 60 aircraft, and 6,000 troops from the island's 500,000-strong army, air force, and navy. Ranking officials, foreign delegations, overseas Chinese representatives, and the media observe the exercise in the Tsoying military zone near the southern city of Kaohsiung.

1995 Oct. 26, China (People's Republic): An Associated Press report reveals that China has purchased 24 Su-27 Flanker jet fighters and an undisclosed number of AA-10 Alamo air-to-air missiles from Russia to reinforce its forces in the South China Sea. There had been previous sales of Su-27 fighters and AA-10 missiles to China.

1995 Nov. 7, China (People's Republic): A report surfaces from Beijing that China intends to conduct another military exercise off Taiwan's coast prior to Taiwan's December 2 legislative election.

1995: Dec. 19, Taiwan Strait: The US aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and four escort vessels sail through the Taiwan Strait. The USS Fort McHenry (dock landing ship) makes a friendship visit to Shanghai one month later.

1995 Nov. 17, China (People's Republic): Three days of talks in Beijing result with China and the United States agreeing to resume a program of high-level military contacts and to an exchange of visits of their top military officers the following year. Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Dr. Joseph Nye, leader of the delegation, says at a news conference, "We stand for peaceful resolution of disputes across the Taiwan Strait, and any use of force by China against Taiwan would be a serious mistake."

1995 June 16, China (People's Republic): Beijing postpones talks with Taiwan scheduled for July.

1995 Sept. 9, Taiwan (National Republic): ROC President Lee, while on an inspection tour in Quemoy, states that the ROC is now comprised of Taiwan, Penghu, Quemoy, and Matzu and insists on adhering to the principles and stages established under the Guidelines of National Unification to pursue unification under the systems of democracy, liberty, and equal prosperity, and not under "one country, two systems."

1995 Oct. 21, China (People's Republic): Zhang Wannian, vice-chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission, states in an interview with the U.S. News & World Report that if Taiwan declares independence, the PRC will certainly resort to force.

Latest Update: September 9, 2003