US President George W. Bush said Monday that he is "convinced" that cross-strait issues can be settled peacefully despite China's deployment of some 500 missiles aimed at Taiwan. But, he added, resolution of the issues will "take some time."
Bush made his remarks in response to a question from a Taiwanese-American at a campaign event called "Ask President Bush" in the Washington suburb of Annandale, Virginia. Bush said that his administration's `one China' policy has not changed. He said the policy was "based upon the three communiques," but he neglected to add a reference to the Taiwan Relations Act, the 25-year-old law that is the cornerstone of US-Taiwan relations.
Normally, the communiques and the act are mentioned together, in a single phrase, when the US administration recites its `one China' policy.
China, on the other hand, omits any reference to the act, which it rejects.
Bush again called on both sides to maintain the status quo.
"Neither side should unilaterally change the circumstances by which a peaceful resolution will be achieved," Bush said.
Bush told the questioner that "I'm convinced this issue can be solved peacefully. It's just going to take some time to do so. And we'll continue to work to see to it that it does."
He added that "we'll keep working both sides to see if we can't see that that very important issue be resolved peacefully."
These were Bush's first extensive public comments on Taiwan issues since the inauguration of President Chen Shui-bian (
However Beijing has raised strong objections to US plans to sell arms to Taiwan ever since the inauguration, and especially since a visit to Washington in June by a Legislative Yuan delegation headed by Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
In an effort to quell Beijing's concerns, Bush telephoned Chinese President Hu Jintao (
Since Chen's re-election, and especially since the inauguration, the Bush administration has been making a strong effort to promote the resumption of negotiations toward an eventual settlement of cross-strait differences. Washington has also been debating whether to take a more direct role in fostering such talks, in contrast to its traditional pledge to leave any talks up to the two sides themselves.
In his ask-Bush session, the president did not give any details of how he sees the US' role in promoting resumed dialogue. He did say, though, that it is "essential that both sides understand my position as clearly stated, and I've stated it publicly, just like I just did," adding that "I will continue to state it."
Meanwhile, the State Department confirmed that it "expressed our regret" for the fact that Taipei's new representative to the US, David Lee (
"The acting chairman of the American Institute in Taipei expressed our regret to this mistake or mishandling at the airport, and that expression of regret was accepted," department spokesman Adam Ereli told reporters at his daily press briefing.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
Myanmar has turned down an offer of assistance from Taiwanese search-and-rescue teams after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the nation on Friday last week, saying other international aid is sufficient, the National Fire Agency said yesterday. More than 1,700 have been killed and 3,400 injured in the quake that struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. Worldwide, 13 international search-and-rescue teams have been deployed, with another 13 teams mobilizing, the agency said. Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams were on standby, but have since been told to stand down, as
RSS