MAINLAND China, or the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and Taiwan remain at odds with one another as the latter continues to resist reunification — through the “one country, two systems” model — with the former and insists that it is not part of the PRC, which is led by the Communist Party of China (CPC). This political fallout culminated in three cross-strait crises (1954-1955, 1958, and 1995-1996). In all cases, the United States, short of war, intervened and demonstrated its resolve to defend Taiwan.