The US election continues to be a hot issue in Taiwan, as two advisers from the camps of presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama, speaking from Washington during a Webcast yesterday, sparred over their candidate’s Asia policy and promoted their candidates as the best equipped to quell tension and boost prosperity in the region.
Randall Schriver, former deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, pointed at Obama’s meager travel experience in Asia as evidence of his unfamiliarity in dealing with the complexity of the region, saying Obama’s childhood in Indonesia does not amount to ample knowledge of the area.
UNMENTIONED
However, Schriver did not mention that McCain’s vice presidential running mate, Sarah Palin, who would be the commander-in-chief if the 72-year-old Arizona senator became incapacitated or died while in office, did not obtain a passport until 2006.
Neither candidate has visited Taiwan.
‘HACKNEYED’
Chinese policy specialist Evan Medeiros, who is on Obama’s Asia Policy team, called Schriver’s argument “hackneyed” and said that with McCain in the Oval Office, the public would only see a four-year rerun of the last eight years under the administration of US President George W. Bush.
“There are people on Senator McCain’s Asia policy team that have openly written that they see China as a strategic competitor. This is a very, very confrontational approach to China and one that will be ultimately destabilizing and would not be in Taiwan’s interest,” he said.
Schriver offered a quick rebuttal and hinted that a Democratic White House would hesitate to take steps that are objectionable to China.
It is a “dangerous road,” he said, to start giving China an up or down vote on the US proposals.
McCain, he stressed, has a great interest in seeing Taiwan enjoy wider international space even if it means that the US “would have to stand up to China” and make decisions — in spite of any objections from China — when it comes to a worthy cause.
SAME OLD TUNE
The debate also accentuated that in general, when it comes to Taiwan, both candidates are virtually singing the same tune — keeping to the US’ longstanding “one China policy” by adhering to the “Three Communiques” and the Taiwan Relations Act.
MORE DEFENSE
Both candidates expressed support for beefing up Taiwan’s defense capacity and applauded the recent US$6.5 billion arms deal that Washington approved earlier this month.
The candidates also at various occasions have called for Taiwan’s meaningful participation at the WHO and other international organizations where statehood is not a prerequisite for membership.
Both camps also recognized Taiwan’s economic muscle and agreed that commercial relations with Taiwan should be bolstered, whether by continuing with the current Trade and Investment Framework Agreement or possibly signing a free trade agreement in the future.
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