U.S. secretary of state reiterates opposition to Taiwan referendum
ROC Central News Agency
2008-02-27 11:42:50
Washington, Feb. 26 (CNA) U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reiterated Tuesday Washington's opposition to Taiwan's upcoming referendum on joining the United Nations under the name "Taiwan."
Rice, who is currently on a visit to China, said during a news conference held in Beijing that the issue was raised during her meeting with Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi.
During the meeting, Rice said, she reassured Beijing that Washington is committed to a one-China policy, opposes unilateral changes in the Taiwan Strait and expects a peaceful resolution of cross-strait differences. "I also reiterated what I said in December, that the United States opposes the proposed referendum because we believe that this referendum would not be constructive and would, in fact, serve no useful purpose, " Rice said, according to a transcript of the news conference released by the U.S. Department of State.
Asked to comment on Taiwan's decision to go ahead with the referendum in the face of U.S. opposition, Rice said that Taiwan is a democracy and "will have to make its own decisions." "But I think we've been very clear that we think that this referendum is not going to help anyone and, in fact, it shouldn't be held," she said.
Rice also reiterated Washington's belief that the "best way forward is when there is the prospect for peaceful resolution of differences across the Taiwan Straits."
The United States has encouraged dialogue between Taiwan and China to achieve that, she said, doing so within the context of Washington's commitment to a one-China policy and to a strong belief that no one should try and change the status quo unilaterally.
(By Chiehyu Lin and Y.F. Low)
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