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With the recent signing of an economic cooperation pact between Taiwan and China, cross-strait relations have entered a new era that could eventually make rapprochement a peaceful process.

The Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), which is a free-trade agreement in substance if not in name, is aimed at normalizing cross-strait economic relations but could further raise the issue of a possible freeze on U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. After all, if Taipei and Beijing are actively working on burying the hatchet, should the United States change its long-standing policy of providing weapons to Taiwan?