The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday welcomed the White House’s statement that Taiwan is not a bargaining chip in its dealings with China, while the Presidential Office reiterated the government’s policy of establishing friendly relationships with the international community, including the US.
Speaking at a routine news conference at the ministry yesterday morning, Department of North American Affairs Deputy Director-General Hsu You-tien (徐佑典) said the ministry was happy to see the White House affirm Taiwan as a “close partner” of the US.
“The ministry welcomes the US statement, which affirms the partnership between the US and Taiwan. Forming concrete relations with Washington has always been a primary goal of the ministry,” Hsu said.
Photo: Lu I-hsuan, Taipei Times
Hsu also expressed appreciation for US President Barack Obama’s administration for underscoring the value and importance of the two countries’ partnership on different levels.
He was responding to remarks by White House press secretary Josh Earnest on Monday that “Taiwan is not a source of leverage, it’s a close partner of the United States,” while warning that disrupting the US’ long-standing “one China” policy could “have a disruptive effect on our ability to work with China where our interests align.”
Earnest’s comments came days after US president-elect Donald Trump questioned the necessity of Washington being bound by the “one China” policy in an interview with Fox News Sunday.
Asked about the possible development of future Taiwan-US ties, Hsu said all ongoing discussion on policy is hypothetical and “Taiwan will be attentive, but not panicked” over the discussions, adding that the ministry would continue to talk with Trump’s transition team and define Taipei’s expectations on bilateral relations.
The ministry’s attention is focused on whether the US intends to uphold the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) and the “six assurances,” Hsu said.
However, the ministry could not define for the US what connotations are included under the “one China” policy, he said.
The “six assurances” refer to the guidelines announced by then-US president Ronald Reagan to Taiwan in 1982 that the US would not set a date for ending arms sales to Taiwan; would not consult Beijing on arms sales to Taiwan; would not pressure Taiwan to negotiate with China; would not change its position on Taiwanese sovereignty; would not revise the TRA; and would not mediate between Taipei and Beijing.
Meanwhile, Presidential Office spokesman Alex Huang (黃重諺) declined to “comment on various remarks [on the US’] foreign policy.”
“Taiwan’s foreign policy is clear: We intend to build solid and sustainable relations with the international community, including the US, and in turn allow Taiwan to play a more active role and make more contributions to global society,” he said.
Huang also reiterated the government’s commitment to maintaining good cross-strait relations while upholding the three core interests of the nation — maintaining a free and democratic nation, actively participating in the international community and maintaining regional peace and stability — which would not be affected by changes in the international environment.
Separately, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政) said that what is important is not the “one China” principle as dictated by China, but the TRA which regulates Taiwan-US interaction.
In contrast with the “one China” policy, which acknowledges that there might only be one state called China and hopes for a peaceful resolution, the “one China” principle states that both Taiwan and China are inalienable parts of a single “China,” with no mention of a method of resolution.
The “one China” policy is not only unfair to Taiwan, but is also a policy that imposes limitations on the US, he said.
Lo said he did not expect Trump to use Taiwan as a bargaining chip and any policy right now is not indicative of the Trump administration’s actions after he is inaugurated.
China will not make a substantial response until the Trump administration challenges the “one China” policy next year, Lo added.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus Deputy Secretary-General Lee Yan-hsiu (李彥秀) said that Trump’s statements show that he is a businessman first, cautioning President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) not to dwell on the one telephone call between the two on Dec.2.
Additional reporting by CNA
SOLIDARITY: A group of European lawmakers condemned China’s aggressive moves, while the foreign minister of Lithuania said Taiwan ‘cannot become a second Ukraine’ A German parliamentary delegation would visit Taiwan in the first week of October, German lawmaker Holger Becker on Monday told visiting Democratic Progressive Party legislators Fan Yun (范雲) and Lin I-chin (林宜瑾) at the Bundestag in Berlin. Asked by Fan whether he is worried about possible reprisals from Beijing, such as banning him and his family from entering China, Becker said he is more interested in visiting Taiwan, as “now is the time for democracies to stand together.” Fan and Lin also met with German officials to exchange views on digital education and governance. Investing in digital infrastructure and protecting equal rights to
‘IRRATIONAL ACTS’: The defense ministry condemned the drills, during which China tested successors to missiles deployed during the Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1995 and 1996 China yesterday fired several Dongfeng ballistic missiles as it began four days of unprecedented military drills off Taiwan proper following US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei the previous day. On Tuesday, Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) said Beijing would “take all necessary measures” in retaliation should Pelosi visit Taiwan during her Asia tour. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) from 1:56pm to 4pm fired 11 Dongfeng missiles into waters north, east and south of Taiwan proper, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said. Taiwanese armed forces, using “forward warning and surveillance mechanisms,” monitored the missile tests
ANNEXATION PLANS: Remarks by the Chinese ambassador to France showed that Beijing seeks to normalize genocide, re-education and gulags, a US official said European and US officials condemned comments from Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye (盧沙野), after he on Wednesday said that Taiwanese would be “re-educated” after any annexation by China. In an interview on French television, Lu accused the Democratic Progressive Party of “extremist” propaganda and turning Taiwanese against “reunification” with China. “We will re-educate. I’m sure that the Taiwanese population will again become favorable of the reunification and will become patriots again,” Lu told BFM TV. The term “re-education” has been used to describe Chinese authorities’ treatment of Uighurs and other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang. European Parliament Subcommittee on Security and Defense Chairwoman
‘SIMULATED ATTACKS’: Ten warships each from China and Taiwan were maneuvering at close quarters in the Taiwan Strait, with some Chinese vessels crossing the median line Taiwan yesterday reiterated that it would not succumb to pressure from Beijing after China carried out its most provocative military drills in decades in retaliation for US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan last week. “We will never bow to pressure. We uphold freedom and democracy, and believe Taiwanese disapprove [of] China’s bullying actions with force and saber rattling at our door,” Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said yesterday. China had “arrogantly” disrupted regional peace and stability, he said, calling on Beijing to not flex its military muscles. President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has also called on the international community to “support
RSS