The US would continue to provide defense articles to Taiwan as per its “one China” policy, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Thursday, adding that such an approach has helped foster decades of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Sullivan told a news conference in Beijing that the US arms sales to Taiwan have been consistent with the US’ “one China” policy, an approach which has “remained true on a bipartisan basis” across multiple US administrations, he said.
The policy “has actually helped contribute to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait for decades, and we intend to keep it that way,” said Sullivan, who was visiting China this week to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and other senior Chinese officials.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“Our ‘one China’ policy has not changed, and our approach to this issue is guided by the ‘one China’ policy, the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint Communiques and the six assurances,” he said.
Sullivan’s comments came shortly after Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) raised the issue of arms sales in their two-day talks, a transcription issued by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday showed.
Wang was cited as urging Washington to cease arms sales to Taipei and said that efforts to push for Taiwanese independence posed “the greatest risk to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
Since US President Joe Biden took office in 2021, the US has announced 15 arms sales to Taiwan times, most recently in June involving US$60.2 million worth of uncrewed aerial vehicles and related equipment.
The talks between Sullivan and Chinese leaders were part of efforts by the US and Chinese governments to maintain channels of communication and manage their relations, the White House said.
The US-China relationship remains “competitive” and both sides would have to work to “manage the risks and flashpoints,” Sullivan said, referring in particular to strained cross-strait relations and tensions in the South China Sea.
Sullivan said he had stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and reaffirmed the US’ commitment to its allies in the Indo-Pacific in all his meetings with Chinese leaders.
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