• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

U.S. DEFENDS ARMS SALES TO TAIWAN AFTER RENEWED PROTEST

Jun 28, 2002 12:14 UTC+0800

Washington, June 27 (CNA) The United States on Thursday defended its practice of selling defensive weapons to Taiwan, saying the sales have been conducted according to Washington's established policy for the purpose of maintaining cross-strait military balance.

"The military situation...has a direct bearing on peace and stability across the (Taiwan) Straits and what we may have to provide to the people of Taiwan for their legitimate self-defense," said Richard Boucher, spokesman of the State Department.

"We have made quite clear, and I think this administration has made increasingly clear, that the deployment of missiles in Fujian Province has a direct bearing on our thinking because we do believe in peaceful resolution," he said.

"And missiles aren't a way to resolve it peacefully," Boucher said during a regular briefing.

His remarks came after renewed protests from Beijing over U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.

"The United States has had a one-China policy," he explained. "We support the three (joint U.S.-mainland China) communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act."

The United States has made clear that it will provide the equipment necessary for Taiwan's self-defense, he said.

"We have done that through the years," he said. "We have done that based on the one-China policy, the three communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act. And that continues."

Boucher also made the distinction between seeking a peaceful resolution of cross-strait differences, which is the U.S. position, and subscribing to the goal of eventual reunification of the two sides, which Beijing hopes the United States would do.

Asked why the United States does not use or talk about unification, Boucher said that Washington uses the words "peaceful resolution of this issue".

"I think there's no doubt we have a One China policy," he added. "We believe in peaceful resolution of the issues. And that's what our policy is."

(by Jay Chen)