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U.S. Department of State

Daily Press Briefing

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QUESTION: Here. Jamie mentioned there had been some preliminary informational discussions with the Taiwanese about a missile defense - something like that.

MR. FOLEY: I don't have his exact words, but he did say that, to our knowledge, their interest was informational at this stage.

QUESTION: Informational, but there are reports today and plenty of US officials speaking without names saying that there have been discussions with South Korea, Japan on this theater missile defense, as well as Taiwan; and it's gone quite a bit further than merely informational, at least on the other two countries and to China. So this is what's causing China to go ahead with that deployment.

MR. FOLEY: I wish you'd continue on with your question, because I'm looking for my answer.

The United States has long-standing security ties with both the Republic of Korea and Japan. Our activities with each country to deter aggression and help ensure peace and stability in the region are consistent with and fully within the context of these long standing arrangements.

The United States has serious concerns, in this case, about North Korea's missile activities and has conveyed these concerns directly to the DPRK. We are seeking an end to its development testing and export of missiles and missile technology. But of course, as we noted, North Korea's launch last August of its missile test produced an extremely negative reaction in the region and in the United States. We have warned that a repetition would bring serious consequences in our relations with the DPRK.

Our efforts in bilateral talks with the DPRK on the missile issue and the four-party peace talks have been aimed at reducing security risks posed by North Korea's missile activities and the tensions on the Korean Peninsula. In terms of the first part of your question, the Administration is aware of the growing deployment by the PRC, in recent years, of missiles nearby Taiwan. This is not a new threat; it stretches back more than half a decade.

Reports that suggest that there has been a sudden new deployment are wrong. As part of its military modernization, China has been deploying missiles for some time. Indeed in 1996, tests by the PRC of such missiles near Taiwan lead to a decision by the President to deploy to the area two carrier groups.

The United States has a strong interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. For this reason, we approved defensive arms sales to Taiwan consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act and the 1982 US-PRC joint communiqué. Among the items Taiwan has purchased has been technology for Taiwan's modified air defense system, which is a low altitude anti-missile and anti-aircraft system. We will continue to monitor the military balance in the Taiwan Strait closely and meet our obligation to provide Taiwan the arms it needs for an adequate defense.

High altitude theater missile defense technologies are in the development stage currently. Therefore, decisions on whether Taiwan needs additional anti-missile capabilities will be made in the future, taking into account the development of such technologies, Taiwan's defense needs, and how, in our view, it is best to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

QUESTION: Do you see this deployment by China, even if it has been going on for a few years -- a decade as you say - as a threat to Taiwan - a threat to Taiwan that the United States needs to respond to?

MR. FOLEY: Well, I think if you take the question generally, anywhere in the world, military capabilities are military capabilities. What is often as important are intentions, political context behind military capabilities. Therefore, I think the question has to be answered in a wider context.

Again, this is not a new threat, as I said. China has been active in the missile development area and their deployments in this configuration and this locale date back more than half a decade. I wouldn't want to characterize further. It really depends a lot on the political context. But I did indicate that we will continue to assess the requirements of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

QUESTION: Is the United States in any way, understanding that TMD is still under research and development right now, but is it in any way considering the possibility of expanding the TMD umbrella to include Taiwan?

MR. FOLEY: didn't say that.

QUESTION: No, I'm just asking you.

MR. FOLEY: Mr. Rubin indicated yesterday that Taiwan's interest in the issue is informational at this stage. I believe that, as I've indicated, we have to await technological developments; we have to continue to consider Taiwan's defense needs; and we have to judge the impact on our interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. It's simply not something that needs to be answered at this stage.

QUESTION: So the US is not ruling out the possibility that it might do so at some point in the future?

MR. FOLEY: I'm not addressing the issue at this stage. It's certainly premature.

QUESTION: Jim, you say no sudden new deployment; but do you notice any uptick at all in the Chinese deployments?

MR. FOLEY: I believe that the Pentagon is preparing a report on that very subject. I'm not directly familiar with the contents. I believe that will be issued - that it's issuance is forthcoming; so I don't want to jump the gun on that.

QUESTION: Well, then, you're great emphasis on there's no new deployment, that it's been going on for a decade is somewhat disingenuous. I'm not calling you into question; I'm just saying the answer is somewhat disingenuous. Because if you say there's no new deployment, that implies things are static; but in fact, the reports say there has been - while the fact of deployments in general is not new, there has been three-fold or more increase in the number of missiles that have been deployed, which is quite a change.

MR. FOLEY: I don't have that information.

QUESTION: Right.

MR. FOLEY: I've not seen the report, and I'm suggesting that we await the issuance of the report.

On the issue of the existence of missiles so deployed, it's not a new threat. Whether you reach a qualitatively different threshold is something that I'm not in a position to assess at this stage.

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QUESTION: Can I go back to China for one second? Are you aware that the Chinese have built an airstrip on the aptly named Mischief Reef to extend their military claim and reach?

MR. FOLEY: The United States wishes to see preservation of peace and stability in the region and protection of our fundamental interests in freedom of navigation. The Chinese construction in the South China Sea on disputed islands is a potentially provocative unilateral activity. We hope the Chinese will continue discussions directly with all parties involved.

Construction activities by claimants, while potentially provocative, have not thus far hindered freedom of navigation. We note claimants - and there are many nations that claim the Spratlys -- they claim its past statements on the South China Sea, including the December 1997 joint statement by China and ASEAN, which have indicated a willingness to resolve territorial disputes through peaceful means and in accordance with universally recognized international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. We urge China and all claimants to use all appropriate diplomatic channels to resolve the dispute.

QUESTION: On that same subject, US has a defense treaty with the Philippines.

MR. FOLEY: Yes.

QUESTION: And Mischief Reef is, as I understand it, claimed by both China and the Philippines. Does the defense pact between the US and the Philippines at all come into play vis-à-vis this dispute?

MR. FOLEY: Well, again, we don't take a position on the legal merits of the competing claims to sovereignty in the area; noting, though, that maintaining the freedom of navigation is a fundamental interest of the United States. As I said a minute ago, we've called on all claimants to intensify their diplomatic efforts to resolve their competing claims peacefully. We understand that the bilateral dialogue between the Philippines and China has included discussions of the Spratly issue and that China's activities on Mischief Reef came up during the recent ASEAN Summit in Hanoi.

The United States is naturally concerned about any unilateral actions in the South China Sea which increase tensions in that region, and is strongly opposed to the use or threat of force to resolve competing claims. We have particular concerns regarding any such developments which involve our treaty ally, the Philippines.

We've consistently, as I've said, urged all claimants to exercise restraint and to avoid destabilizing actions. I'm certainly not in a position to comment on possible US Government action in any hypothetical case, but I've think I made clear our views on the matter.

(The briefing concluded at 2:20 P.M.)