U.S. Warns China on Anti-Secession Law Against Taiwan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration on Monday criticized China's anti-secession law authorizing the use of force against Taiwan, calling its passage "unfortunate" and a potential setback to cross-strait relations.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the United States opposed "any attempts to determine the future of Taiwan by anything other than peaceful means."
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice plans to raise the issue during her visit to China on March 20-21. "Our view remains that they need to move in the direction of peaceful dialogue," said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher. "She will encourage them to do that and look forward to hearing from them as to how they might be willing to move in that direction."
Passage of the anti-secession law by China's parliament could harden U.S. opposition to plans by the European Union to lift its ban on arms sales to China, officials and congressional aides said. "Certainly the prospect that China would use non-peaceful means to try to resolve differences with Taiwan should be disturbing...to the Europeans as it is to us," Boucher said. "I suppose this is one element of that that they should look at."
President Bush has voiced concerns that ending the embargo could skew the military balance between China and Taiwan, and some U.S. lawmakers have threatened to curtail defense cooperation with Europe if it proceeds.
A high-level delegation of European Union officials is visiting Washington this week to try to ease U.S. concerns.
They point to a revised European code, due to be agreed on in coming weeks, that requires EU states to look hard at the human rights record of the importing country before granting licenses, as well as its history of passing on imported equipment to third countries.
The Europeans imposed the embargo after China's bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square in 1989.
The Taiwan Relations Act mandates that Washington supply Beijing's arch-rival with defensive weapons. "We view the adoption of the anti-secession law as unfortunate," McClellan told reporters. "It does not serve the purpose of peace and security in the Taiwan strait. We believe it runs counter to recent progress in cross-strait relations."
Passage of the bill by China's parliament also drew warnings from the self-ruled island that Beijing would have to pay a price.
The White House cautioned Taiwan as well. "We don't believe anyone should be taking unilateral steps, or make unilateral changes that increases tensions," McClellan said, adding, "We do not support Taiwan independence."
03/14/05 16:34
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