DATE=8/13/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U.S.-CHINA (L-UPDATE)
NUMBER=2-252778
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
Intro: The Clinton Administration says it has not
received any threats from China on the possible use of
force in its latest dispute with Taiwan. But U.S.
officials are none-the-less urging restraint by both
parties. V-O-A's David Gollust reports from the White
House.
Text: The comments here follow newspaper reports that
Chinese officials have told U.S. experts and policy
analysts that Beijing may use force against Taiwan to
curb what China sees as independence moves by Taipei
authorities. White House National Security Council
spokesman David Leavy said there have been no Chinese
threats or ultimatums conveyed through official
channels, but that any resort to force would be a
serious development:
///LEAVY ACTUALITY///
Our long-standing position, and this goes back
many years through both Republican and
Democratic administrations, is that any effort
to resolve the issue of Taiwan other than by
peaceful means would be considered of grave
concern to the United States. That position
hasn't changed today.
///END ACT///
Mr. Leavy would not comment on what Chinese officials
may have told private U-S experts. But he said China
has traditionally not ruled out the use of force with
regard to the Taiwan issue, which it considers an
internal matter:
///LEAVY ACTUALITY TWO///
This is something that President Jiang (Zemin)
and other Chinese leaders have articulated for
some time. So the Chinese have not ruled out the
use of force. We disagree with them. We've made
that clear. Our policy is peaceful dialogue.
///END ACT///
Mr.Leavy said U-S officials are concerned about an
increase in military flights by the two sides in the
Taiwan straits that could trigger accidental
conflict. But he said U-S intelligence has not
detected any unusual Chinese military buildup in the
area.
The newspaper accounts say China may have raised the
prospect of using force to try to gauge the possible
reaction by the Administration. In a similar
situation three years ago, President Clinton sent two
U.S. Navy aircraft carrier battle groups to the Taiwan
area after China conducted missile tests close to two
Taiwanese port cities.
Mr. Leavy said President Clinton can be expected to
discuss Taiwan and other problem issues in bilateral
relations when he meets President Jiang next month on
the sidelines of the "APEC" summit of Pacific-rim
countries in New Zealand. (Signed)
NEB/DAG/JO
13-Aug-1999 15:15 PM EDT (13-Aug-1999 1915 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
