The US reiterated Sunday that it remains committed to supporting human rights in China as well as to ensuring that Taiwan can defend itself.
In an interview with ABC television, Secretary of State Colin Powell stressed that he had underscored the US interest in human rights in China during a recent meeting with Chinese Ambassador to the US Li Zhaoxing (
PHOTO: AFP
"I wanted there to be no mistake with our Chinese interlocutors that there is an interest in human rights," he said.
Asked whether Washington would vote to condemn China's human rights policies when the UN Commission on Human Rights meets in Geneva next month, President Bush's national security advisor, Condoleezza Rice, told CNN: "What we do at that meeting will be consistent with our views on the importance of human rights."
Powell for his part said Washington was considering but was not committed to a statement of condemnation.
"As China tries to join the world community, tries to become a member of the World Trade Organization, tries to improve its diplomatic position, it has to treat its own people well," Rice said.
"So I think you will not see any diminution of the importance for human rights in China. In fact you'll see a renewed emphasis on it," she added
On Taiwan's anticipated request for US guided missile destroyers fitted with Aegis combat weapons systems, Powell noted that "decisions on individual weapons systems [are made] in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act."
Under the Act, Washington is obliged by law to provide Taiwan with the wherewithal to defend itself.
"We have an obligation to Taiwan to make sure their ability to defend itself remains constant."
Asked about reports that China is taking possession of two Russian destroyers, Powell indicated that Chinese forces "are really quite behind the times."
"I think we have to make sure that we remain strong in the region," Powell said.
"But a nation such as China, that has the wherewithal to improve its military, I would expect it to improve its military. I'm more interested in policies it may adopt that affect stability in the region," he added.
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