Iran's threat to close a vital international waterway if stricter sanctions are imposed on Iranian oil exports is more than just bellicose and provocative. It is also a test of U.S. will and commitment in the Persian Gulf at a time when our role in the region is changing.

Tension between the United States and Iran reached levels not seen in more than 20 years when, on Wednesday, Iranian military officials threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, the 34-mile wide channel through which more than one-third of the world’s oil tanker traffic passes. 

2012 looks to be an interesting year for the already complex political triangle among the United States, Taiwan and China, what with each country undergoing political transitions. Should we expect policy continuity from President Ma Ying-jeou and the likely new Chinese leader Xi Jinping? What about continuity in the United States?

What is the best way to engage China while deterring aggression? What should Taiwan's America policy be? How can Taiwan break its international isolation? Dr. Tsai Ing-wen, the current Democratic Progressive Party chairwoman and presidential candidate, will address these and other questions at an AEI event on September 13.

The region's ability to police its own waters can come only after governments in the region have stabilized, are capable of managing militaries, and are able to fight piracy.

Minister Shin-Yuan Lai addressed the unresolved questions centering around the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) signed by Taipei and Beijing.