The changing of US policy toward cross-strait relations

The "Chen-Shiu-bian (陳水扁) era," characterized by a more pragmatic and benign approach to handling cross-strait relations, deserves consistent support and encouragement from the international community led by the US. "Voluntarism" and "reciprocity" are two key principles which the US can introduce into future cross-strait dialogue.

The Facts

After skillfully working with the new leader in Taiwan in tackling the cross-strait stalemate, Raymond Burghardt, director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), elaborated a new US policy orientation toward Taiwan and China on May 29 by emphasizing the need for the Beijing leadership "to take greater consideration of the Taiwan public that has become a key element in the cross-strait element in the cross-strait equation."

Asked about his view on the possibility of opening a new round of high-level cross-strait talks this autumn, Burghardt stressed that the US will support any arrangement that is "voluntarily" agreed to by both sides of the Strait. For both Taipei and Beijing to engage in a constructive dialogue, the US said "positive actions should be reciprocated with positive action." In other words, "voluntarism" and "reciprocity" are two new and key principles being used by the US for future dialogue.

Burghardt has reportedly met with Chen on several occasions since the March 18 election. The intensive interaction between AIT and the new president led to speculation that the US was actively involved in the drafting of Chen's inauguration speech. The controversy over whether the US should play a "mediator"or a "facilitator" role in cross-strait dialogue has also generated great debate.

That is why Burghardt's latest statements deserve special attention. While it represents a delicate new description of the US policy toward cross-strait affairs, it is also a reflection of the continuation of US President Bill Clinton's consistent statements over the last several months regarding "any ultimate resolution to the cross-strait dispute must require the assent of the people of Taiwan."

Burghardt's new statements also coincided with the hotline call made by China's president Jiang Zemin (江澤民) to Clinton on May 27. Chiang reportedly expressed his deep appreciation for the US House of Representatives' passage of the permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) bill and reassured Clinton that China had no intention of threatening Taiwan.

Whether Washington and Beijing have exchanged views over the most recent developments across the Taiwan Strait remained unknown. However, the events mentioned above reveal the inherent changes in the triangular relationships between the US, China and Taiwan.

The Debates

That the ties between two sides of the Strait should be "special state-to-state" in nature, as outlined by former President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) last July, furthered a new round of debate on the US policy toward Taiwan and China. Lee's announcement surprised the Clinton administration, which has been working very hard to establish a "constructive and strategic partnership relationship" with Beijing. It also brought new tension and uncertainties to cross-strait interactions.

The new element in cross-strait relations also introduced a wave of re-examinations of the US policy toward Taiwan. At issue is whether current US policy toward Taiwan -- embedded in the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), the three Washington-Beijing joint communiques and no-tably the "three no's" announcement made by Clinton in 1998 -- is able to handle the current situation -- where China is on its way to regional hegemony and Taiwan's democratization has created a greater need for the world to respect the will of the people of Taiwan.