The George W. Bush administration Tuesday moved to play down the question of the military balance across the Taiwan Strait that has dominated Washington's view of the Taiwan issue so far this year, as a senior official emphasized the need for a resumption of talks between Taipei and Beijing.
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs James Kelly said the administration feels the "first priority" for China and Taiwan should be the resumption of direct dialogue.
Testifying before the East Asia subcommittee of the House International Relations Committee, Kelly also said Washington would like to see not just the beginning of dialogue, but real accomplishments resulting from such talks.
"The United States does not have a formula for resolving cross-strait differences, and we do not seek to play a role in this process. But we do have an abiding interest in seeing that the process is pursued only by peaceful means," he said.
"It is worth noting that Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian [
This is something "the two sides ought to be able to work out in the fullness of time," he said.
Kelly also took an indirect swipe at Beijing's recent policy of courting Taiwan's opposition politicians as a means of trying to marginalize and isolate Chen.
"The PRC cannot ignore the elected representatives of the people of Taiwan if cross-strait dialogue is to resume and be revitalized. Instead, it must offer a case that is attractive to a democratically elected leadership," he said.
Subcommittee chairman James Leach of Iowa, meanwhile, issued an indirect warning to Taiwan against any unilateral declaration of independence, if it wants to retain its current autonomous position.
"Taiwan can have a maximal degree of self-determination if it does not declare independence. If it declares independence, it will have no self-determination," he said in an opening statement.
Noting that the administration has expressed its commitment to continue Washington's one-China policy, Leach said a principle element of that policy is the strong opposition by the US to an attempt by either side to impose a unilateral solution on the other.
Kelly defended the administration's decision in April to offer to sell Taiwan a robust arms package, saying the sale will help deter any Chinese aggression.
"Some have suggested that our commitment to assist Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability as articulated in the [Taiwan Relations Act] is at odds with our commitments in the three communiques. I disagree. The president disagrees.
"The defensive systems that we provide Taiwan do not make the peaceful resolution of cross-strait differences more difficult. On the contrary, they make such a resolution more likely," he said.
In addition to the resumption of dialogue, Kelly said that economic relations across the Strait should be strengthened, noting that the entry of both China and Taiwan into the WTO, which he said he expects this year, "may well accelerate the economic cooperation between the two sides."
He also called for greater mutual understanding across the Strait.
"In particular, we have urged the PRC to shift from seeking to put pressure on [or] even intimidate Taiwan and instead appeal to the people of Taiwan. Beijing needs to explain to Taiwan the benefits of a closer relationship rather than the perils of a more distant one," he said.
RSS