Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) said he failed to secure a commitment from senior US officials on when the eight-month old freeze on new arms sales to Taiwan will end.
On Monday, Wang met with officials from the US National Security Council and the State and Defense Departments.
But none of the officials could commit themselves to a timeframe for the release of the eight arms packages, Wang said on Tuesday, adding that he was “optimistic,” based on what the US officials did say, that the sales would go through “eventually.”
The arms freeze has become the major issue this year in US-Taiwan relations, with the US holding up a large array of weapons packages that US President George W. Bush agreed to in 2001, but which the Legislative Yuan approved funding for only late last year.
But almost as soon as the legislature approved the money, the US clamped the freeze on arms sales, with many observers in Washington feeling that Bush did not want to alienate China. Despite recent speculation that the freeze might be lifted after Bush returns from the opening of the Beijing Olympics, the administration has made no such commitment.
Wang’s trip to Washington was billed mainly as an effort to push the arms sales issue, as well as to improve bilateral relations, which were hurt by several years of bad blood between Bush and former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) over Chen’s efforts to solidify Taiwan’s national identity.
Wang said he had “not heard anything” about when the freeze would be lifted, and the US officials “had not revealed their intentions” on the issue in response to a question after a speech at the Heritage Foundation think tank on Tuesday.
Wang said that there were “differences” between various US agencies on the arms sales issue, but did not give details, according to the English simultaneous interpretation of his remarks.
It has long been known that the Pentagon has been pushing for sales, but that the State Department and National Security Council have been holding up the sales packages.
Nevertheless, Wang said he was “more optimistic” and “more positive” about Taiwan’s likelihood of getting the arms it seeks after his meetings. He did not give a reason for his optimism.
He said US officials repeated to him what they have said publicly, that there has been no change in US policy toward arming Taiwan against possible Chinese military hostility and that the US fully adheres to the Taiwan Relations Act’s commitment to arm Taiwan with necessary defensive weapons.
He said he “hopes” the issue will be resolved as soon as possible, and the Pentagon will notify Congress of its plan to sell the weapons packages, setting the stage for a final US-Taiwan agreement on the arms transfers.
In his speech to the Heritage Foundation, titled “New Beginnings in a Strong Alliance,” Wang made repeated references to the importance of US arms supplies to Taiwan.
Recounting the history of US-Taiwan relations, he said “we believe that necessary arms sales from the US to Taiwan is one of the best paths, not only for maintaining Taiwan’s security, but also for consolidating the friendship between the two countries.”
“I have always firmly supported the arms sales,” he said. “Not only are they needed for our self-defense capability, they are also a key factor in maintaining the right balance in Taiwan-US-China relations.”
Speaking with reporters afterwards, Wang said that he had received a letter for President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) from presumptive Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain through McCain’s Asia adviser, former State Department official Randall Schriver. He did not disclose the contents of the letter.
Ma had earlier received a letter from McCain’s rival, Senator Barack Obama, which was relayed through the Democrat’s aide, former American Institute in Taiwan chairman Richard Bush.
Wang was scheduled to meet with a number of congressional leaders yesterday, including the heads of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus.
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