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U.S. stance toward Taiwan remains unchanged: security chief

ROC Central News Agency

2007-10-01 20:56:10

    Taipei, Oct. 1 (CNA) National Security Bureau (NSB) Director Shi Hwei-yow said Monday that despite expressing displeasure over Taiwan's plan to hold a referendum on its bid to join the United Nations under the name Taiwan, the United States' basic stance toward Taiwan remains unchanged.

    Shi made the remarks in responde to questions by legislators from the opposition "pan-blue" alliance regarding whether the government has a contingency plan in place given the opposition from abroad, especially the United States and China, to President Chen Shui-bian's plan to hold a referendum on Taiwan's application to join the United Nations under the name Taiwan alongside next year's presidential election in March.

    The U.S. sees such a referendum as an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, while China considers it as an "important step" to declare Taiwan's de jure independence.

    In response to questions from opposition People First Party Legislator Chang Hsien-yao on whether the NSB has made any contingency plan in response to China's declaration that it has made the "necessary preparations" against Taiwan's plan to hold such a referendum, Shi said his agency has established a mechanism to properly respond to any situation.

    Shi noted that although the U.S. has expressed its displeasure over Chen's plan to push for the referendum, the U.S. basic stance toward Taiwan remains unchanged, adding that at least U.S.-Taiwan communications regarding security issues remain normal.

    It was reported that the U.S. government had rejected Chen's request for his transit stops in major U.S. cities or to stay overnight during his transit stops for Chen's Central American visit in late August as a way to express its discontent with Chen's intention to push for the referendum. Chen later called the treatment he received during his transit stops in Alaska "inconvenient, uncomfortable and indecent."

    Shi stressed that though the United States adopted a deterrent policy to try to persuade Taiwan not to go through with the referendum, it has not changed its basic policy toward Taiwan.

(By Elisa Kao)

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