President Bill Clinton has reaffirmed Washington's commitment to defending Taiwan against attack, and urged Beijing and Taipei to negotiate a lasting peace.
He singled out his China policy as a significant success for his administration, saying: 'We renewed the consensus for honest engagement with China.' However, he said that despite his successful contacts with President Jiang Zemin, US policy on Taiwan had not softened.
'Nothing - nothing has changed in our position on the security of Taiwan,' he said.
'The whole framework of America's relations with China embodied in three communiques is that while we recognise one China, China makes a commitment to a peaceful resolution of the issues between itself and Taiwan. And we have always said that we would view a departure from that with the gravest possible concern.' The President said he could not comment on whether mainland and Taiwanese officials were unnecessarily delaying the resumption of talks.
But he said: 'I would urge them to get together to keep working on it as soon as possible. Both places are just doing too well now, economically and otherwise, to risk their prosperity and their progress on a fight that need not occur and should not happen.' Mr Clinton also cited US co-operation with Beijing as a blueprint for easing Washington's tense relationship with Iran. 'I think we have to be able to discuss those things in order to have an honest dialogue, just like we have an honest dialogue with China now,' he said.
