Senator John McCain, a Republican US presidential contender from Arizona, expressed his staunch support for Taiwan on Wednesday on the campaign trail in Los Angeles.
McCain, who fought in the Vietnam War as a US Air Force pilot and who is known for his anti-communist stance, said the US administration should pay more attention to the situation in Asia.
Answering questions from Chinese-language media during a visit to a southern Los Angeles community known as "Little Saigon," McCain reiterated his support for "free and democratic" Taiwan and said he firmly opposed China's military buildup.
He said that cross-Taiwan Strait issues must be addressed through negotiation and that China's intimidation of Taiwan and military threats should never be tolerated.
McCain's support ratings lag behind those of Rudy Giuliani in the campaign for the Republican party's nomination for next year's presidential election, but he has an edge over his rivals in terms of his experience in diplomacy and defense.
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