DATE=10/13/1999
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=TAIWAN-CHINA-U-S
NUMBER=5-44494
BYLINE=STEPHANIE MANN
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The U-S Congress is considering legislation
that would upgrade the American military relationship
with Taiwan. Such an action would be sure to anger
the Chinese government, which is considering changes
in its own approach to Taiwan. V-O-A's Stephanie Mann
reports on Taiwan's uncertain situation and how U-S
policy is affected.
TEXT: For the past 50 years, the Communist government
in Beijing and the Nationalist government in Taipei
have both said Taiwan is part of China. Each has
claimed to be the rightful ruler of the whole country.
China has never renounced the possible use of force to
take back Taiwan, and has said it would use force if
Taiwan declares its independence.
The United States, since 1979, has recognized the
Beijing government and has dealt with Taiwan on an
unofficial basis. At the same time, however, a U-S
law, called the Taiwan Relations Act, acknowledges the
United States' historical ties to the Nationalist
government and requires the United States to provide
Taiwan with weaponry for its own defense.
China specialist Stephen Yates says new legislation
being considered by Congress is not intended to change
U-S policy. Mr. Yates, a senior policy analyst at the
Washington-based Heritage Foundation, says the pending
Taiwan Security Enhancement Act would provide a more
specific interpretation of the 1979 Taiwan Relations
Act.
/// YATES ACT ONE ///
It calls for increase in contact between the
Taiwan military and the U-S military, not for
the purposes of creating an alliance, but for
the purpose of delivering on the intent, or at
least the understood intent, of the Taiwan
Relations Act - to help Taiwan be capable of
defending itself.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Yates says the bill is designed to ensure Taiwan
has access to high technology weaponry. He believes
Taiwan is going to have to rely on such equipment more
than conventional forces to defend itself. And Mr.
Yates says this may mean that the United States could
stay on the sidelines and not be directly involved in
defending Taiwan.
The U-S House of Representatives may vote on the
Taiwan Security Enhancement Act within a week. Action
by the Senate is more uncertain, and Clinton
administration officials are expected to try to dilute
or block the measure. A leading opponent of the bill
in the House of Representatives (Republican
Congressman Doug Bereuter of Nebraska) has said the
new measure is not needed because Taiwan is getting
whatever military technology it needs.
Stephen Yates says the government in Beijing is likely
to see the proposed bill as going beyond the 1979
Taiwan Relations Act, because China opposes any form
of U-S military contact with and arms sales to Taiwan.
/// YATES ACT TWO ///
I think that the vast majority of policy makers
in Washington that deal with military affairs
disagree with that interpretation. And the
United States intent is not to interpose itself
between Taiwan and the mainland. And it's not
necessarily sending a political signal to Taiwan
by considering this legislation, but for our own
interests finds these moves to be necessary.
/// END ACT ///
Because China considers Taiwan a province, it sees U-S
actions as an interference in Chinese internal
affairs. However, China specialist Ross Terrill says
the Taiwan question is no longer just a matter of
finishing the Chinese civil war by reuniting the
country.
He says the transfer of Taiwan to the People's
Republic of China today would change the balance of
power in Asia - something that would not have happened
in 1949. Mr. Terrill agrees with those who say
Beijing's desire for reunification now is a matter of
strategic interest, not purely an emotional desire to
reunify the motherland.
Mr. Terrill, a research associate at the Fairbank
Center for East Asian Studies at Harvard University,
says the United States should not be trying to
influence the outcome of the Taiwan question.
/// TERRILL ACT ///
Our role is not to solve the Taiwan problem, but
to prevent it (from) being solved in the wrong
way and to prevent it (from) being interpreted
in the wrong way.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Terrill says Washington should not express an
opinion as to whether reunification is the right
answer for China and Taiwan.
Hong Kong journalist Willy Wo-Lap Lam cautions the
United States against upgrading the level of weapons
it sells to Taiwan. Mr. Lam, the China editor of the
South China Morning Post, points out for example that
Beijing has said it will not tolerate the U-S sale to
Taiwan of technology related to theater missile
defense - a regional anti-ballistic missile program
still in the planning stage. He says it would hurt
Sino-U-S relations and could spark another round of
anti-American protests in Beijing and Shanghai.
(Signed)
NEB/SMN/JP
13-Oct-1999 10:47 AM EDT (13-Oct-1999 1447 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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