The US Department of State yesterday reiterated Washington's commitments to Taiwan after US President Donald Trump seemed prepared to undermine one of those commitments in remarks on his pending meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平).
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, ahead of his summit with Xi in Beijing tomorrow and on Friday, Trump was asked about Washington's longstanding support for Taiwan's defense and brought up the issue of US arms sales to Taiwan.
"President Xi would like us not to, and I'll have that discussion. That's one of the many things I'll be talking about," Trump said.
Photo: CNA
If that were to happen, it would go against one of the main tenets of the “six assurances” issued by then-US president Ronald Reagan's administration in 1982 — a pledge by the US not to consult Beijing on arms sales to Taiwan.
Asked yesterday whether the actions suggested by Trump's comments would contravene the “six assurances,” a Department of State spokesperson did not give a direct answer, instead reiterating the US' long-held position on dealing with both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
"The United States remains committed to its ‘one China’ policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint Communiques, and the six assurances," the unnamed spokesperson said.
The US is committed to preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, they added.
It was not the first time Trump has said he might discuss arms sales to Taiwan with Xi. He made similar remarks in February in response to a question about Xi's objections to US arms sales to Taiwan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also declined to directly answer questions about whether Trump's remarks about discussing arms sales to Taiwan with Xi would contravene longstanding US policy toward Taiwan.
Alex Huang (黃重諺), an adviser to the National Security Council and a former Presidential Office spokesperson, told a radio program that Taiwan was not at all concerned about the Trump administration changing its policy toward Taiwan.
"The State Department and the White House have both made it clear that US policy toward Taiwan has not changed," he said.
The Three Joint Communiques are diplomatic documents issued by the US and China in 1972, 1979 and 1982 that established official bilateral relations.
The Taiwan Relations Act, signed into law by former US president Jimmy Carter on April 10, 1979, following the severing of official diplomatic ties, commits the US to providing Taiwan with defense articles and services necessary to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.
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