Ralph Clough, a China analyst from Johns Hopkins' School of Advanced International Studies, said the white paper is expected to create problems for the administration's discussion of TSEA and the granting of permanent Normal Trade Relations to China -- a condition of China's entering the World trade organization.
"Although the white paper would not change the fundamental in relations between the US, China and Taiwan, it comes at a bad time with a bad judgement of the domestic politics of both Taiwan and the US," Clough said.
US State Department spokesman James Rubin said the United States has conveyed its view to China and urged Beijing for more restraint.
"We have communicated to China ... the importance we attach to urging China as well as Taiwan to refrain from actions or statements that increase tensions, making dialogue more difficult to achieve," Rubin said.
Rubin said the US regards China's threat on what it sees as Taiwan's foot-dragging on reunification as a "new and troubling formulation," one that is counterproductive to creating cross-strait dialogue.
He was also quick to affirm that China's heightened belligerence "would not be a decisive factor in a military decision about a particular weapons system."
Department of Defense (DOD) spokesman Ken Bacon downplayed the possibility of US military intervention by saying Beijing's threat "is only rhetoric at this stage."
"We plan no change in force dispositions, no change in our naval dispositions in the area at this stage," Bacon said, adding the DOD will be watching the situation very closely.
The White House indicated on Monday that it would respond "appropriately" if China's actions appeared as a threat, as it did during the missile crisis of 1996 when it despatched two carrier battle groups to waters off Taiwan.
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