Taiwan should be pleased that it has moved out from beneath Washington’s spotlight, US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman said.
“It means that Taiwan is stable, is prosperous, [and it] has a strong relationship with mainland China,” she told a conference on US relations in northeast Asia sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment.
Sherman had been asked why Taiwan was not talked about “a lot these days” and to give her assessment of the status of US-Taiwan relations.
“Part of the reason that Taiwan is probably not talked about as much as it once was is a good sign,” she said.
“The concept of ‘one China’ and the three communiques has become a standard, the economic integration between Taiwan and mainland China is the ‘status quo,’” Sherman said.
She said the political issues between Beijing and Taipei would be worked out over time.
“In any given moment there are ups and downs between Taiwan and mainland China and Taiwan and the rest of the world, but the fact that it isn’t an everyday point of anxiety and concern about what’s happening cross-strait is a good thing,” Sherman said.
“It means that there is more peace, there is more prosperity and there is more just life as we know it,” she said.
Reminded that Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) planned to visit Washington later this year, Sherman refused to comment.
“In terms of Taiwan politics, I’m going to leave that to the people of Taiwan,” she said.
Sherman said that throughout the remainder of US President Barack Obama’s term in office, northeast Asia would continue to be a major focus of US foreign policy.
She said the US was at a pivotal moment with the region.
“Amid chronic dangers, there are also opportunities for the region to reduce tensions and become one of the globe’s sturdiest platforms for international prosperity and peace,” she said.
Sherman said that China had complaints about the US, including its friendship with the people of Taiwan. Nevertheless, she said the US very much wanted China to be stable and prosperous.
“We recognize that China’s success benefits our own, just as our progress supports China’s,” she said.
Sherman said she was “optimistic” that the 12 nations now negotiating the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) would be successful in reaching an agreement this year.
“It is going to create tremendous momentum not only for Asia, but for the world economy,” she said.
Sherman said the TPP would be good for those now negotiating the first round and also for those who wanted to join later.
“When this round is over, we’ll see where we are and what next steps can be taken,” she said.
Taiwan hopes to gain entry to the TPP in a second round of negotiations, after the original 12 countries have actually launched the agreement.
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