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The article focuses on issue of Taiwan's sovereign status. It states that relations between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan have improved and the risk of inadvertent war would seem highest if both sides were undertaking risky military exercises that could lead to mishaps. It mentions that variables that have seen change include China-Taiwan economic integration and cooperation, the cross-Strait balance of military power and patterns in Taiwan public opinion.

In Taiwan's 2008 presidential election, both candidates advocated signing a peace agreement with China, and Chinese leaders have also expressed interest in reaching such an agreement. Although substantial obstacles remain in the way of a cross-strait peace agreement, this increased interest on both sides of the Taiwan Strait suggests that a closer examination of an agreement's possible dimensions and consequences is warranted. This analysis considers what an agreement might look like, whether and how it might be effective in reducing the possibility of cross-strait military conflict, the relevant barriers to an agreement, and whether an agreement--if reached--would be likely to endure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A response from the author of the article "Is the Taiwan Strait Still a Flash Point? Rethinking the Prospects for Armed Conflict between China and Taiwan" in the Winter 2015/16 issue is presented.