US Democratic presumptive presidential nominee Hillary Rodham Clinton would not change any of the US’ policies toward China and Taiwan if she is elected to the White House in November.
“Secretary Clinton supports the current administration’s policy on China and Taiwan, and will continue to do so,” senior campaign foreign policy adviser Jake Sullivan said.
He was speaking on Monday at a special briefing for foreign media at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
Sullivan said Clinton believes that peaceful development and strengthening of cross-strait relations is important, and that she supports the Taiwan Relations Act and the “one China” policy.
“So you won’t find any surprises or significant departures from the secretary’s position on the relationship than you do with [US] President [Barack] Obama over the last few years,” Sullivan said.
He said that Clinton felt “strongly” that China had to be not just a selective stakeholder, but a comprehensive, responsible stakeholder in the international system.
“That goes for its dealing with all of its neighbors and it goes for its dealings in the South China Sea,” Sullivan said.
He said that in Hanoi in 2010, Clinton “brought forward” a set of proposals about the peaceful resolution of disputes and compliance with international law in respect to the South China Sea.
“She believes that the recent tribunal finding ... advances the goal of peaceful resolution of disputes and the lawful settlement of claims in that area,” Sullivan said. “Ultimately, she believes this is a matter for diplomacy for the various parties to come together in a multilateral format, and work out once and for all the very difficult questions that have troubled the region.”
Sullivan said that the US would remain committed to the principle of freedom of navigation, and to supporting its allies and partners in trying to resolve the South China Sea disputes.
“The last thing I would say is perhaps the most important factor. Every country should do all that it can to avoid escalation of the situation, to avoid intimidation, to avoid coercion, to avoid miscalculation, to avoid mistakes,” he said. “All of us need to work together to try to get ourselves on a diplomatic pathway that can resolve this and to stay off a pathway of escalation, precipitous activity, any type of military activity that is going to make it harder to reach a resolution, and that is the position that she will pursue as president.”
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