Arms sales contribute to cross-strait peace: U.S. State Department
ROC Central News Agency
2013/08/23 10:43:13
Washington, Aug. 22 (CNA) The U.S. government reaffirmed Thursday its commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to sell weapons to Taiwan, a policy that it said is favorable to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Jen Psaki, spokesperson for the Department of State, said there is no change to the United States' "one China" policy, which is based on the three joint communiques with China and the Taiwan Relations Act.
"Consistent with U.S. commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States makes available to Taiwan defense articles and services necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability," Psaki said during a daily press briefing.
"We believe this longstanding policy contributes to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," she said when asked to comment on reports that the U.S. government might form a joint taskforce with China to discuss weapon sales to Taiwan.
Chinese media reported earlier this week that the U.S. Department of Defense had given a "positive response" to a proposal by Beijing for the formation of special joint panel to address major stumbling blocks to U.S.-China military ties, especially U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.
An unnamed Pentagon official, however, said Wednesday that the proposed joint panel will not discuss issues related to arms sales.
Also Thursday, U.S. Congresswomen Judy Chu (D-Calif.) and Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam) said they believed the U.S. arms sales policy toward Taiwan remained unchanged, according to a statement by Taiwan's opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Chu and Bordallo, who were on a visit to Taiwan, were asked about the issue during a meeting in Taipei with DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang.
(By Lin Shu-yuan, Justin Su and Y.F. Low)
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