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U.S. policy on Taiwan unchanged: U.S. official

ROC Central News Agency

2013/07/23 16:09:47

Washington, July 22 (CNA) The United States' policy on Taiwan is consistent and unchanged, a senior State Department official said Monday in reference to President Ma Ying-jeou's planned transit stop in New York en route to Latin America next month.

'The U.S. one-China policy has been sustained through eight administrations. It is based on the three communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act, and that will continue to inform our approach,' said Daniel Russel, the new assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs.

Russel was speaking in his first press event since becoming the assistant secretary, during which he was asked if the president's transit stop is any indication of the current status of U.S.-Taiwan relations.

Expressing support for the progress in cross-Taiwan Strait relations under Ma's tenure, Russel said the dialogue that Ma has fostered is beneficial to people on both sides of the strait as well as to the region and others in terms of promoting stability and prosperity.

On Taiwan's bid to participate in the International Civil Aviation Organization, he said the United States continues to support Taiwan's active participation and membership in international organizations where statehood is not a requirement.

The U.S. also welcomes Taiwan's meaningful participation as appropriate in organizations where membership is not an option, he said.

On relations with China, Russel said that in the last four and a half years, Washington has placed a premium on trying to build a cooperative partnership with China through direct and high-level dialogue.

The United States is also working hard to develop a candid dialogue on areas of disagreement, he said, adding that this was the spirit in which U.S. President Barack Obama invited his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to an unprecedented informal meeting in California in June.

(By Tony Liao and Y.F. Low)
ENDITEM/ls