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U.S. will not change policy toward Taiwan: AIT chair

ROC Central News Agency

2009/11/23 19:33:47

Taipei, Nov. 23 (CNA) U.S. President Barack Obama will not in any way change the longstanding U.S. policy toward Taiwan, a visiting American official said Monday.

Responding to local reporters' questions about Obama's Nov. 14-18 visit to China, American Institute in Taiwan Chairman Raymond F.

Burghardt said Obama expounded clearly on U.S. policy toward Taiwan during his stay in Shanghai and Beijing, and made it clear that he will in no way change Washington's established Taiwan policy.

Obama also mentioned in press statements Washington's commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) -- the U.S. law governing relations with Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic ties -- in bilateral engagements.

"That was a personal desire by him to make sure it's mentioned, " said Burghardt, who arrived in Taipei a day earlier for a four-day visit.

Speaking to the media after meeting with Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng, Burghardt said Obama's remarks during his closed-door meetings with Chinese President Hu Jintao, on topics that included U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, all pointed to no change in the U.S.

policy and stance on Taiwan-related issues during Obama's tenure.

For his part, Wang said Burghardt's visit is mainly aimed at briefing Taiwan on details about Obama's China visit.

Touching on the U.S. stance toward China's sovereignty claim over Taiwan, Wang said Burghardt stressed to him that the United States has never "recognized" Beijing's claim.

"In the 1972 U.S.-China communique, Burghardt reminded me, the United States just said it `acknowledges' China's sovereignty claim and the U.S. government has never wavered on this stance," Wang said.

"I told Burghardt that as any statement from the U.S. president concerning Taiwan's sovereignty tends to have a great impact, we hope Obama will exercise prudence in dealing with the issue and will leave no room for speculation," Wang said.

Wang added that he also expressed hope during his talks with Burghardt that the United States will abide by the TRA in helping Taiwan to safeguard its security.

(By Huang Ming-hsi and Sofia Wu) ENDITEM/J