Government officials yesterday welcomed US President George W Bush's reiteration of Washington's stance on Taiwan in his talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤).
Bush met Hu at the White House in Washington on Thursday, where the two leaders discussed a wide range of issues including trade, human rights, nuclear proliferation and Taiwan.
"In his welcome speech on the White House's South Lawn, President Bush reiterated the US commitment to peace across the Taiwan Strait. [Bush said that] the US would uphold its `one China' policy based on the three Sino-US communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act, remained opposed to any side unilaterally changing the status quo, and that Taiwan's future must be resolved peacefully," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
PHOTO: EPA
"This shows that the US policy remains consistent and unchanged. This shows that the US takes the issue of peace in the Taiwan Strait seriously and remains committed to preserving that peace," the statement said.
Taiwan watched nervously as Bush and Hu held their summit at the White House, fearing that Bush might publicly criticize President Chen Shui-bian (
Although Bush did not say he was opposed to Taiwanese independence, he did say that he did not support it.
Analysts in Taiwan pointed out that Bush saying "I do not support" did not amount to a declaration of opposition.
Minister of Foreign Affairs James Huang (
Huang commented on Hu's reaction to a question from the press regarding when China would be democratized in which the Chinese president said that he didn't know the definition of "democracy."
"To most people, it's a simple question. Democracy is about people being able to choose their own leader, participate in the policy-making process and that minority opinions are respected and protected," Huang said.
Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Chairman You Ying-lung (游盈隆) said that Bush's remarks that "We [the US] believe the future of Taiwan should be resolved peacefully" dealt a severe blow to China's "Anti-secession" Law.
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said he appreciated Bush's support for Taiwan's democracy and maintaining peace across the strait.
While extending gratitude to Bush for reaffirming the US commitment to Taiwan, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Yu Shyi-kun criticized Hu for calling Taiwan "a part of China."
Hu "upheld the `one China' principle, excluding Taiwanese freedom to opt for independence," Yu said.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday said Bush's statement on cross-strait relations was a "reiteration of the common stance shared by seven previous US presidents."
Saying the government's action on the National Unification Council had impacted on US-Taiwan relations, Ma said: "We need to be extra careful because even a seemingly insignificant act of negligence could be interpreted as changing the status quo unilaterally."
Additional reporting by Jimmy Chuang and Mo Yan-chih
Also see stories:
`Bu-Hu' meeting bedeviled by flubs
Chinese media whitewashes Hu visit
Pro-Taiwan demonstrators denounce China's buildup
Meeting with Bush only embarrassed Hu, analysts say
Beijing’s continued provocations in the Taiwan Strait reveal its intention to unilaterally change the “status quo” in the area, the US Department of State said on Saturday, calling for a peaceful resolution to cross-strait issues. The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) reported that four China Coast Guard patrol vessels entered restricted and prohibited waters near Kinmen County on Friday and again on Saturday. A State Department spokesperson said that Washington was aware of the incidents, and urged all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from unilaterally changing the “status quo.” “Maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is in line with our [the
EXTENDED RANGE: Hsiung Sheng missiles, 100 of which might be deployed by the end of the year, could reach Chinese command posts and airport runways, a source said A NT$16.9 billion (US$534.93 million) project to upgrade the military’s missile defense systems would be completed this year, allowing the deployment of at least 100 long-range Hsiung Sheng missiles and providing more deterrence against China, military sources said on Saturday. Hsiung Sheng missiles are an extended-range version of the Hsiung Feng IIE (HF-2E) surface-to-surface cruise missile, and are believed to have a range of up to 1,200km, which would allow them to hit targets well inside China. They went into mass production in 2022, the sources said. The project is part of a special budget for the Ministry of National Defense aimed at
READY TO WORK: Taiwan is eager to cooperate and is hopeful that like-minded states will continue to advocate for its inclusion in regional organizations, Lai said Maintaining the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait, and peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region must be a top priority, president-elect William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday after meeting with a delegation of US academics. Leaders of the G7, US President Joe Biden and other international heads of state have voiced concerns about the situation in the Strait, as stability in the region is necessary for a safe, peaceful and prosperous world, Lai said. The vice president, who is to be inaugurated in May, welcomed the delegation and thanked them for their support for Taiwan and issues concerning the Strait. The international community
COOPERATION: Two crewmembers from a Chinese fishing boat that sank off Kinmen were rescued, two were found dead and another two were still missing at press time The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) was yesterday working with Chinese rescuers to find two missing crewmembers from a Chinese fishing boat that sank southwest of Kinmen County yesterday, killing two crew. The joint operation managed to rescue two of the boat’s six crewmembers, but two were already dead when they were pulled from the water, the agency said in a statement. Rescuers are still searching for two others from the Min Long Yu 61222, a boat registered in China’s Fujian Province that capsized and sank 1.03 nautical miles (1.9km) southwest of Dongding Island (東碇), it added. CGA Director-General Chou Mei-wu (周美伍) told a