DATE=2/3/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=U-S-TAIWAN SECURITY
NUMBER=5-45382
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A bill passed by the House of Representatives
this week to strengthen security ties with Taiwan has
returned the complex issue of U-S relations with China
to center-stage in Washington. China bitterly opposes
the Taiwan security measure, which has drawn a veto
threat from President Clinton. VOA's David Gollust
reports from the White House.
TEXT: The bill, approved by a nearly five-to-one
margin in the House, is aimed at underlining support
for Taiwan in the face of what U-S military analysts
say is a buildup of Chinese missiles and other
military hardware near the island.
The United States has been obligated by an act of
Congress to supply Taiwan with defensive weapons as
part of the package of understandings under which U-S
diplomatic recognition was shifted from Taiwan to
Beijing in the late 1970's.
However Congressional Republicans accuse the Clinton
Administration of neglecting the commitment to
Taiwan. Their bill would, for the first time, set up
direct military to military communications with the
island and give Congress more of a say in what U-S
weapons systems can be sold to Taiwan.
Policy analysts who support the legislation say China
is ratcheting-up military pressure on Taiwan in part
to intimidate voters in the elections on the island
set for mid-March.
Richard Armitage, a former top Pentagon official in
the Reagan administration, told VOA the heart of the
problem continues to be China's refusal to rule out
the use of force to resolve the Taiwan issue:
///Armitage actuality///
The U-S law requires us to provide defensive
equipment to Taiwan. And the reason that
defensive equipment is required is because of a
threat of force from China. If China would
renounce the use of force,then this would so
dramatically lower the temperature that sales of
weapons could be severely restrained. But China
is not only not renouncing the use of force,she
is arraying missiles across the strait which
have Taiwan as the target.
///end act///
The Clinton Administration contends the new measure is
not needed to fulfill the U-S obligation to Taiwan and
is an irritant in an already complex relationship.
Speaking to Asia scholars Wednesday at Washington's
Woodrow Wilson Center, White House National Security
Adviser Sandy Berger urged Congress to refrain from
what he called a "risky undertaking" that could undo
years of diplomacy by Presidents of both parties:
///Berger actuality///
What this act would do for the first time would
be to make our military-to-military relationship
(with Taiwan) official and formal. And in so
doing, it would upset the very delicate and
successful balance that has existed for 25
years across the Taiwan straits and his
contributed to both peace and stability and
growth in Taiwan and China. So I think
particularly at this time, as we're leading up
to an election in Taiwan - a time of great
sensitivity - we here in the United States
should not upset the balance that for 25 years
has created stability and peace in Taiwan.
///end act///
Mr. Berger insisted that Taiwan's defense needs can be
met under the framework of the existing 1979 law, a
view supported by Michael Green, senior fellow for
Asian security studies at the U-S Council on Foreign
Relations. Mr. Green, however, faults the Clinton
administration for appearing to have a policy "tilt"
toward Beijing, which he said worries both Taiwan and
its U-S supporters:
///Green actuality///
We obviously have a one-China policy. We
formally recognize China, the P-R-C. But
informally we have always had a reassuring
stance to Taiwan that we would not abandon them.
And I think the administration by its actions
the past few years has undermined that latter
part - has made Taiwan and many supporters of
Taiwan worried that we would abandon them. So
the Congress is trying to compensate for that.
But they're doing it in a way that probably
makes cross-strait relations more tense, not
less tense.
///end act///
Greg May, deputy director of the Nixon Center in
Washington, says the 1979 arrangement has served all
concerned parties well, as evidenced by the fact there
has been no cross-straits conflict since then. He says
the new bill from Congress may actually undermine
regional security, in that it gives the appearance of
new U-S commitments to Taiwan but nothing to back them
up:
////May actuality///
The Taiwan Security Enhancement Act has all the
downsides of a major initiative on Taiwan policy
- meaning it makes the Chinese angry, it
increases tensions across the Taiwan strait. But
it has none of the upsides of actually doing
something concrete to help Taiwan out. There's
very little in the bill that will actually help
Taiwan defend itself. This creates the
appearance of an alliance-like relationship
between the United States and Taiwan. But the
legislation doesn't commit the United States to
defend Taiwan in the way that an alliance
relationship implies.
///end act///
White House officials, who accuse Republican leaders
of rushing the bill through the House, say they hope
for a more deliberate examination of the measure in
the Senate. Two-thirds majorities in both houses of
Congress would be needed to over-ride the President's
promised veto.
A senior Chinese diplomat said in Washington Thursday
Senators should understand that enactment of the bill
could have grave consequences and push Taiwan toward a
war situation. (Signed)
NEB/DAG/PT
TEXT:
NEB/ /
03-Feb-2000 20:42 PM EDT (04-Feb-2000 0142 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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