CEP0009 [07/16/99 15:31:17] CP5K7101.CEP
07-16-99
HELMS SUPPORTS LEE'S REMARKS ON CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS
Washington, July 15 (CNA) US Sen. Jesse Helms, chairman of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement Thursday
expressing full support for statements made by democratically elected
Republic of China President Lee Teng-hui regarding Taiwan's status.
"Yes, Taiwan is a part of China," Helms said, "but it is not a
part of the People's Republic of China."
The North Carolina Republican noted that President Lee "simply
stated the obvious: China is a divided nation, made up of two
separate and sovereign states. Just as East and West Germany were
both part of Germany, they were nonetheless separate states."
"The same is true of the Republic of China on Taiwan and the
People's Republic of China in Beijing. And, just as the two German
states eventually reunited under democracy, so too do we hope that
the two Chinese states can one day reunite -- under democracy," said
Helms.
Criticizing the Clinton administration's response to recent
events, Helms said, "I was dismayed by the Clinton administration's
decision to side, once again, with the Chinese Communists, rather
than our democratic allies on Taiwan, in the ongoing dispute over
Taiwan's status.
"Instead of seizing the opportunity created by President Lee's
clarification of Taiwan's status, the State Department chose instead
to appease Red China by repeating not only the antiquated language of
our 'one China policy,' but Beijing's 'Three Noes' policy as well.
"Rather than reflexively parroting Beijing's fictional diplomatic
constructions, the (Clinton) administration should reiterate our
legal defense obligations to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act,
and make clear to Beijing that the US has a moral obligation to
defend Taiwan if it is attacked," he said.
The Clinton administration ought to be using President Lee's
remarks as "an opportunity to break free from the anachronistic three
communiques which have imprisoned our policy toward China and Taiwan
for too long. The time has come for the Clinton administration, and
Beijing, to emerge from the fiction of 'one China.'"
(By Nelson Chung)
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