Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=4-25-2001

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-275350

TITLE=Bush-Taiwan (L-Update)

BYLINE=David Gollust

DATELINE=White House

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: President Bush says he is not changing long standing policy approach to China with his assertion in an interview broadcast Wednesday that the United States would do "whatever it took" to help Taiwan defend itself. The comment drew expressions of concern from Congressional Democrats. VOA's David Gollust reports from the White House.

TEXT: Mr. Bush says he remains committed to a one-China policy - and to a peaceful resolution of the dispute between China and Taiwan - despite his suggestion that the United States would be willing to apply all its military might to the defense of the island.

In an interview with A-B-C television broadcast Wednesday, the President said China must understand that the United States has an obligation to Taiwan's defense, and he responded in the affirmative when asked whether this meant using the full force on the U-S military.

The Bush comments touched off a stir among foreign policy analysts and others, who said they appeared to mark the end of a two-decade-long U-S policy of deliberate ambiguity about the extent of the U-S commitment.

But in a subsequent interview - with C-N-N - the President said he supported the same principles as his predecessors - including a one-China policy, and the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act governing the U-S approach to the island:

///Bush actuality///

I am candid in my support of the Taiwan Relations Act. And I said this during in the course of a campaign appearance, and I'll say it right now that our nation will help Taiwan defend herself, at the same time that we support the one-China policy, where we expect, and hope, and believe there will be a peaceful resolution of any differences of opinion.

///end act///

Mr. Bush said under questioning that he would not view a declaration of independence by Taiwan as being in keeping with a one-China policy and said the United States will work with Taiwanese authorities "to make sure that doesn't happen."

Despite assurances by the President - and the State Department - that U-S China policy is unchanged, there were expressions of concern about the Bush remarks in Congress.

Democratic Senator John Kerry said being deliberately vague about what the U-S response would be to trouble in the Taiwan strait has preserved U-S flexibility, and deterred adventures by both parties:

///Kerry actuality///

Although I've argued that we need to inject more clarity into our engagement with China, I personally believe that on this question, our interests and China's are better served by the ambiguity that has existed and would be better served by maintaining it. It not only deters a Chinese attack, but it discourages Taiwan into misreading what the United States might do.

///end act ///

Other members of Congress, however, said an unambiguous statement about the U-S commitment to Taiwan would guarantee that hostility between China and Taiwan would not take place.

In a series of interviews in advance of his 100th day in office, President Bush also said he does not view China as an enemy, and that he is pleased that this month's spy-plane confrontation with China did not cause a "breach" in relations.

He said this week's offer of new defensive arms to Taiwan was unrelated to the spy-plane issue, and said he intends to scrap the administration's yearly review of Taiwan's defense needs, which has been an annual irritant in relations with Beijing. (Signed)

NEB/DAG/PT