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CHINA'S MILITARY DEPLOYMENTS FACTOR IN CROSS-STRAIT INSTABILITY: U.S.

ROC Central News Agency

2007-02-24 18:32:11

    Washington, Feb. 24 (CNA) The U.S. government needs to take into account all factors affecting stability across the Taiwan Strait in dealing with cross-strait issues, which include China's military deployments against Taiwan and the lack of high-level political contact between the two sides, a U.S. official said Friday.

    Therefore, the United States has encouraged Beijing to make contact with the Taiwan government, said Thomas Christensen, deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs with responsibility for China, Taiwan and Mongolia.

    Christensen made the remarks during a Hong Kong TV interview when asked to comment on Beijing's criticism that the United States has failed to take any substantial steps to try to stop the trend toward independence in Taiwan, with the exception of making some strongly worded statements.

    Christensen reiterated that the United States does not support Taiwan independence and is opposed to any unilateral action by either Taiwan or China to change the status quo.

    While people have often focused their attention on action taken by Taiwan, the United States needs to also take into consideration other factors that cause cross-strait instability, Christensen said.

    He said the United States aims to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and hopes Taiwan and China will find a peaceful, mutually acceptable resolution to their differences.

    On Taiwan's recent move to change the names of state-owned enterprises that contain references to China, Christensen noted that the United States has taken a clear and consistent stand on this issue, namely that Washington expects President Chen Shui-bian to honor the commitments he has made publicly, including those made in his 2000 inaugural address.

    He said the United States takes Chen's pledges seriously and that the statement released recently by the State Department has addressed the issue in a very appropriate manner.

    In the statement issued Feb. 9, the State Department said the United States does not support administrative steps by Taiwan that would appear to change Taiwan's status unilaterally or move toward independence, including changes in terminology for entities administered by the Taiwan authorities.

    The State Department also called on Chen to fulfill his "four noes" commitments, namely not to declare independence, not to change Taiwan's national title, not to push for inclusion of sovereignty themes in the Constitution, and not to promote a referendum to change the status quo regarding independence or unification.

(By Chiehyu Lin and Y.F. Low)

ENDITEM/J