U.S + Taiwan ...News 082299

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08-22-99
US  COMMITMENT TO TAIWAN REMAINS UNCHANGED, SAYS ROC OFFICIAL

    San  Francisco,  Aug.  22  (CNA)  The  Republic   of  China's top
representative  to  the  United  States,  Stephen  Chen,  said in San
Francisco  on  Saturday that the US commitment to Taiwan as stipulated
in the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) remains unchanged.
    Chen  was  making  a stopover in San Francisco on his way back to
Taipei.
    Following  Taipei's redefinition of cross-Taiwan Strait relations
as  a  "special  state-to-state  relationship"  in  early  July,  the
development of cross-strait relations and Sino-American relations has
become a great concern of Washington.
    When  asked  to  comment on this issue, Chen told CNA that the US
commitment  to  Taiwan  in accordance with the TRA remains unchanged,
and  that  the  Taipei-Washington  communication channel remains very
smooth.
    He   said   he   will   report   the   latest   developments   in
Taipei-Washington relations to President Lee Teng-hui, Vice President
Lien  Chan, Premier Vincent Siew and Foreign Minister Jason Hu during
his home stay in Taipei.
    Chen  will arrive in Taipei aboard a China Airlines flight Monday
morning.  He  will  return  to  the  US  Aug. 29 so that he can greet
Premier  Siew in Los Angeles Aug. 30 during the premier's US transfer
on his way to Panama.
(By Neil Lu & Victor Lai)
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08-22-99
MOFA DENIES US TO SEND OFFICIAL DELEGATION TO VISIT TAIWAN

    Taipei,  Aug.  22 (CNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on
Sunday  denied  reports  that  the  United  States  will send an
official delegation to visit Taiwan.
    The  mass-circulation  China  Times  reported  on  Sunday that US
President  Bill  Clinton  has decided to send a three- or four-member
group, including Kurt Campbell, deputy assistant Defense Secretary for
Asian  and Pacific Affairs, as well as unidentified National Security
Council  and  State  Department  officials  to  Taipei  to  meet with
high-ranking officials.
    The  report  said  that  as tensions between the two sides of the
Taiwan   Strait   have  not  eased  since  President  Lee  Teng-hui's
redefinition  of  cross-strait  ties  as  a  "special  state-to-state
relationship,"  in  July,  Clinton  decided to send the delegation to
Taipei   to   further  discuss  the  cross-strait  as  well  as  the
Taipei-Beijing-Washington triangular relationship.
    Beijing  has  accused  Lee  of  pursuing separatism.  The  US
previously  sent  special  envoy Richard Bush to Taipei and Assistant
Secretary  of  State  Stanley  Roth  to  Beijing  to  try to ease the
tensions.
    Taipei assured Bush during his visit that its mainland policy had
not changed and that Lee's redefinition is simply a reflection of the
political reality.
(By Lilian Wu)
ENDITEM/rm
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08-22-99
GOV'T URGED  TO  BE CAUTIOUS OF US COMPROMISING WITH MAINLAND CHINA

    Taipei. Aug. 22 (CNA) A local scholar urged the government to
guard  against  the  United States compromising Taiwan's interests in
dealing with mainland China during a summit meeting next month.
    Tamkang  University  Professor  Pan  Hsi-tang made the remarks on
Sunday in  a  cross-strait relations seminar sponsored by the Chinese
Learned Society.
    US  President  Bill  Clinton is scheduled to go to New Zealand to
attend   the   summit  meeting  of  the  Asia  and  Pacific  Economic
Cooperation forum (APEC) September 12-13. While there, Clinton will
meet  with  mainland  Chinese  Presdient  Jiang  Zemin. Taiwan's
redefinition  of  the  cross-strait relationship is expected to be at
the top of the two leaders' agendas.
    Pan  noted that Beijing's current strategy toward President Lee's
redefinition  is  to  monitor  the  situation  while  continuing  the
pressure  on  Taiwan  politically  and militarily, and to formulate a
timetable for unification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
    The  scholar  also  said  that  Beijing  will  step up its combat
readiness  against Taiwan and prepare a series of military exercises,
as  well  as  redefine  its  relationship  with  the US as "strategic
competitive ties."
    Pan  said  that  the US is under pressure to promote cross-strait
dialogue  to  avoid a repeat of the  1996 missile crisis.
    In 1996, Beijing lobbed missiles into Taiwan waters to intimidate
Taiwan  people  in  the  run  up  to  its  first popular presidential
election.  The  US  responded  by  sending two aircraft carriers into
waters near Taiwan.
    As  the  US can not force Taiwan to abandon its redefinition of
cross-strait  ties,  Pan  said  the US may reluctantly accept Taiwan's
stance  that  both  sides  of  Taiwan  Strait are entitled to its own
definition of "one China."
    Under   the  circumstances,  Pan  said  that  Taipei's  continued
welcoming  of  mainland  China's  top  negotiator  with  Taiwan, Wang
Daohan,  to  visit  Taiwan  is the best strategy to counter Beijing's
verbal attack and military intimidation.
    Chuang  Sheng-jung,  National Assembly deputy from the opposition
Democratic   Progressive   Party,   also  said  that  with  increased
cross-Strait tension, a delayed cross-strait dialogue will not in the
interests of both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
    Chuang  suggested  that  the  United States help both sides start
dialogues on a parity basis without touching on sovereignty issues so
as to create a "win-win-win" situation.
(By  Lilian  Wu)
ENDITEM/rm
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