Despite unambiguous, strong words of support from US President George W. Bush earlier this year, the Taiwan Relations Act remains the key document governing America's commitments to Taiwan, a visiting US senator said yesterday.
Bush earlier this year said that the US would do "whatever it took" to defend Taiwan.
But Senator Joseph Biden, the new chairman of the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, downplayed those remarks yesterday, saying it takes every new administration time to get used to the peculiar vernacular of international affairs.
"It takes a little bit of time to get sure of the terminology," Biden said. "Words matter, especially in Asia."
Biden said he has held long discussions with US Secretary of State Colin Powell, who visited Beijing last month, and personal chats with Bush in the White House.
"There was no change in the US position by this president compared to previous presidents since the Taiwan Relations Act was signed," Biden said. "There is one voice, one voice coming from America, that we, in fact, abide by and are committed to the Taiwan Relations Act."
Biden made the remarks in Taipei following a meeting with President Chen Shui-bian (
The primary purpose of yesterday's visit was to hold discussions with senior officials in Taiwan on strategic issues regarding US security, the American Institute in Taiwan, the US' de-facto embassy, said in a press release.
Joining Biden on his visit yesterday were Senators Paul Sarbanes, Arlen Specter and Fred Thompson.
The US senator said the group had brought no message from President Bush and that they represented the US Senate.
During the meeting with Chen, Biden said that the delegation re-affirmed "that there is very strong support in the US Senate and Congress for continuing support for the security of Taiwan."
Biden also noted Chen's efforts to extend an olive branch to China.
"We compliment the president on his attempts to restart cross-strait dialogue. We suggest that he continue that effort," he said.
But as to whether Taiwan will be included as a part of a US theater missile defense program, Biden said that matter has yet to be decided.
Biden also said that the US should continue to engage China to help it improve its record on human rights and democracy.
He recalled Taiwan's past human-rights abuses under the KMT, which had led many in the US to question whether they should continue supporting Taiwan.
"I can recall as a young senator that a great debate was going on in our Congress about your awful abuse of human rights in this country and our continued support for you," he said.
"It created a dilemma for us. What we strongly supported was a dictatorship. We did not like it. But we continued to engage you. I think there is a bit of wisdom with your president, who suggests [that engagement with China] is a process."
The US senator said that China has no choice but to open itself up to the world, and by doing so it will change its ways.
"The idea that you can be integrated into the world economy and maintain a closed system is not possible," Biden said.
RSS