US President George W. Bush said again yesterday that the US would defend Taiwan if China invaded.
When asked in an interview with the Fox News TV Channel, "Do we [the US] still stand by an agreement, Mr. President, that if Taiwan is ever invaded, we will come to the defense of Taiwan?" Bush said: "Yes, we do. It's called the Taiwan Relations Act."
Bush also said he believed that "time will heal" the political dispute between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
"My attitude is that time will heal this issue. And therefore we're trying to make sure that neither side provokes the other through unilateral action," he said.
Bush explained that the US stance supported a "one China" policy based on the Three Communiques.
Moreover, Bush said, the US adhered to the Taiwan Relations Act, which meant that it opposed either side of the Taiwan Strait unilaterally changing the status quo.
"In other words, neither side will make a decision that steps outside the bounds of that statement I just made to you. If China were to invade unilaterally, we would rise up in the spirit of [the] Taiwan Relations Act. If Taiwan were to declare independence, it would be a unilateral decision that would then change the US equation," Bush added.
Asked about his views on US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's recent criticism of China's rapid military buildup despite not facing any threats in the region, Bush said the US-China relationship was a complex one.
"It is complex because we deal with each other on a variety of fronts. One front, of course, is our defense posture," he said.
When asked whether he trusted China, Bush said: "So far, I do. We'll see ... time will tell."
In response, the Presidential Office yesterday said that its position was in sync with that of the US government, stating that, "Taiwan stands by safeguarding the peaceful status quo across the Taiwan Strait, and that the solution to cross-strait issues must be resolved via peaceful means."
What the international community should pay attention to, the Presidential Office said, is whether or not China uses "non-peaceful means" to alter the cross-strait status quo in the wake of enacting the "Anti-Secession" Law in March.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also welcomed Bush's affirmation of Washington's pledge that the US would help defend Taiwan if it were attacked by China.
"We welcome President Bush's reiteration of the US government's stance. He means that to achieve peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, all Pacific-rim nations must make an effort," Foreign Ministry spokesman Michel Lu (呂慶龍) said.
Lu said Bush sent a clear message to both sides of the Taiwan Strait that neither side should alter the status quo.
"We will not seek independence. Our constitutional reforms are a domestic issue which will not lead to Taiwan declaring independence. President Chen Shui-bian has promised this many times," he said.
also see story:
AIT reaffirms US commitment to Taiwan's defense
‘NO SECURITY RISK’: The Railway Bureau reassured the public that the technicians’ activities were limited to technical guidance and did not involve sensitive systems The Railway Bureau yesterday said it had invited eight Chinese technicians to assist with an airport MRT construction project. The bureau issued the confirmation after an Internet user said Chinese nationals had entered the construction zone of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport’s Terminal 3 project. They asked why “individuals from an enemy state” were allowed access to such a major national infrastructure project, which raised serious concerns over Taiwan’s industrial safety, sensitive systems and information security. The bureau’s Northern Region Engineering Branch Office said subcontractor Taiwan Handle Industrial Co (台灣手把工業) of the Taoyuan airport MRT’s “Contract No. CU05 Project A14 Station Civil, MEP &
A US uncrewed surface vessel (USV) encountered multiple Chinese warships during an autonomous transit of the Taiwan Strait, US defense company Seasats said in a statement on Wednesday. Seasats announced that a Lightfish USV had completed the first autonomous transit of the Taiwan Strait. Over five days, the USV traversed the entire length of the Strait while constantly monitoring surface vessel traffic, the company said. The Lightfish encountered multiple Chinese warships, one of which was a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 056 corvette, it said. The Chinese vessels were operating “well within Taiwan’s exclusive economic zone without transmitting their identity via the
Taiwan is still in the process of assessing the possibility of recruiting workers from Eswatini, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday, adding that its goal is to help Eswatini upgrade its vocational training centers. If there are plans to recruit workers from Eswatini, safeguarding national security, protecting public health and ensuring the employment rights of Taiwanese would be prerequisites, Department of West Asian and African Affairs Director-General Yen Chia-liang (顏嘉良) told a news conference. Key considerations would also include filling labor shortages in specific industries, and fostering bilateral professional and technical exchanges, he said. Yen was asked about the progress of labor
The nation’s usually punctual high-speed rail system yesterday was hit by major disruptions after all scheduled services were canceled and replaced with three hourly trains offering only non-reserved seating, affecting more than 200,000 passengers. Preliminary findings indicate the disruption was caused by a faulty power module in a track switch control cabinet, Taiwan High-Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) said, adding that as a full system inspection could only be conducted after operations end for the day, a decision on whether normal service would resume today would be announced before the first train departs. During a routine inspection early yesterday, a switch signal abnormality
RSS