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MOFA says US Taiwan policy remains unchanged

"We believe we are still following the 1979 policy set down by China itself to recognize [the] `one China' [policy] but at the same time opposing any attempt by either side to change the relationship between Taiwan and the mainland by force."

US Senator Ted Stevens

Although Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) warned the US against selling arms to Taiwan in a telephone conversation with President George W. Bush last week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday US Taiwan policy remains unchanged.

The ministry's reassurance came after President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) announced Monday his plan to attend the inauguration of Panamanian president-elect Martin Torrijos on Sept. 1.

Details of the itinerary of Chen's first foreign trip since his second term started are still unclear. Sources have said Chen might stop over in Boston or Miami, where US President George W. Bush's brother, Jeb Bush, governor of Florida, might receive him.

Chen is also expected to visit Belize, another of Taiwan's allies in Latin America, on the same trip.

Anna Kao (高安), deputy director-general of the ministry's Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, would not comment on Chen's trip.

"The Presidential Office will unveil the itinerary in due time," she said.

Kao said Bush reiterated the US stance on the Taiwan issue in his conversation with Hu.

"White House spokesman Scott McClellan explained the phone call to reporters. We will continue to pay close attention to our relationship with the US," she said.

McClellan told reporters that Bush called Hu last Friday as a follow-up to the recent visit to Beijing by US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, who met top Chinese leaders and held discussions on North Korea and Taiwan.

According to China's official Xinhua news agency, Hu told Bush the current cross-strait situation is "very sensitive and complicated and that China would never tolerate independence for Taiwan."

Hu, nevertheless, said China would exert its utmost efforts to resolve the Taiwan issue peacefully.

Bush expressed his understanding for China's concern over the Taiwan issue. The US would implement the "`one China' policy, and observe the Three Communiques and position of not supporting the independence of Taiwan," he said.

Meanwhile, a US senate delegation has had strong words and very forceful discussions with China over Taiwan, telling Beijing that Washington would not back down from selling arms to the island, a leading US lawmaker said yesterday.

"We believe we are still following the 1979 policy set down by China itself to recognize [the] `one China' [policy] but at the same time opposing any attempt by either side to change the relationship between Taiwan and the mainland by force," senate leader Ted Stevens told reporters.

He rejected China's protest that US military exchanges and arms sales to Taiwan constituted a breach of the accord.

Stevens, who met Hu yesterday, said there was a "misunderstanding" on the issue, saying that although the sale of new radars to Taiwan had been authorized, none had been manufactured, delivered or even ordered.

"We are still maintaining the position that Taiwan should be able to defend itself against a military attack," he said.

Given the growing economic dependency and exchanges between China and Taiwan, "we believe that time will erase the differences and we still maintain that we are following the `one China' policy," he said.
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