In recent weeks, there has been increased speculation of a possible military stand-off in the Taiwan Straits regarding the proposed referendum on the island over Taiwan's membership to the United Nations (UN) as Taiwan and not Republic of China. There have been heightened cross-strait military tensions according to Chinese, Taiwanese and Western sources, both unofficial and official. However, despite these developments, some argue that, although the use of force against Taiwan cannot be ignored, the increase integration of both economies and into the globalized world economy reduces the possibility of an armed conflict. A case in point is the fact that China is Taiwan's largest trade partner and top export destination today. On the other hand, Chinese exports to Taiwan as a percentage of Chinese total exports have increased only modestly. Over the past decade, China has shown restraint in allowing economic relations to remain unscathed even as the political and military threats are revived occasionally.