Fresh from a visit to Beijing, members of the Atlantic Council, a renowned US think tank, arrived in Taipei yesterday for discussions on Taiwan's security following the two arch enemies' accession to the WTO.
Led by General Jack N. Merritt, the 10-member delegation -- composed of retired generals, former officials and scholars -- reached Taiwan yesterday evening for a four-day visit.
The delegation also visited Beijing from Jan. 5 to Jan. 9.
The delegation was scheduled to meet high-ranking officials in charge of national security affairs to discuss issues surrounding US policy toward Taiwan and US-Taiwan bilateral ties, sources said.
They are to meet President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁); Ting Yu-chou (丁渝洲), secretary-general of the National Security Council; Minister of National Defense Wu Shih-wen (伍世文); Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Hung-mao (田弘茂); Chairwoman of the Mainland Affairs Council Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文); and General Tang Yao-ming (湯曜明), chief of the General Staff.
The delegation is also to visit the General Headquarters of the Army, as well as think tanks affiliated with the defense ministry, according to an itinerary released by the minister of foreign affairs.
Tien pointed out what he described as the "significant mea-ning" of the delegation's visit to Taipei, because the team was composed of "various high-ranking retired generals and admirals."
The team includes Admiral Charles Larson, General Dennis J. Reimer, Major General John L. Fugh and former US Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Walter B. Slocombe, among others.
"According to our understanding, Slocombe was an influential figure when serving as the undersecretary of defense during Clinton's administration. He was seen as rather friendly to us considering Clinton's overall arms sale policy towards Taiwan," Tien said.
"It would be wrong to say the council's visit was purely unofficial and lacked political significance simply because they are not with the government anymore. After all, this group of people still have direct or indirect influence on US policy," Tien said.
When asked to comment on the recent frequent visits to Taiwan by various US groups with an eye on security issues, Tien said the trend was indicative of the US' concerns over the potential security risks across the Taiwan Strait.
"Although there is no immediate cross-strait crisis and the focus of the region lies in trade and economics rather than security issues, these visits from the US side show that the US still pays a lot of attention to a potential security crisis across the Taiwan Strait," Tien said. "It's my personal view that cross-strait security issues require the attention of the international society as well as that from Taiwan itself."
A delegation headed by Richard D'Amato, chairman of the US-China Security Review Commission -- which reports to the US House of Representatives -- arrived in Taiwan last Wednesday and stayed until Tuesday to review Taiwan's military procurement policies.
The 12-member commission was created under the US National Defense Authorization Act signed into law on Oct. 30, 2000.
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