In the wake of recent remarks by President Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan, State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli says the United States does not support Taiwan independence and opposes unilateral changes to the status quo by either Taiwan or Beijing.

"The United States' unofficial relationship with Taiwan is governed by our one-China policy, the Taiwan Relations Act and the three U.S.-China Joint Communiqués.  We have made no changes in our longstanding policy aimed at promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the region," he said in a statement released at the January 30 regular State Department briefing.

"The United States continues to urge both Beijing and Taipei to establish substantive cross-Strait dialogue to the mutual benefit of people on both sides of the Strait.  We support expansion of transportation and communication links across the Strait aimed at increasing political, economic, social, and cultural exchanges with a view to increasing mutual understanding and diminishing the chances of miscommunication or misunderstanding," he said.

For more information on U.S. policies, see Taiwan.

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Following are the text of the statement and an excerpt from the January 30 regular State Department briefing

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
January 30, 2006

STATEMENT BY ADAM ERELI, DEPUTY SPOKESMAN

Taiwan - U.S. Policy

The United States' unofficial relationship with Taiwan is governed by our one China policy, the Taiwan Relations Act and the three U.S.-China Joint Communiques.  We have made no changes in our longstanding policy aimed at promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the region. 

The United States does not support Taiwan independence and opposes unilateral changes to the status quo by either Taiwan or Beijing.  We support dialogue in the interest of achieving a peaceful resolution of cross-Strait differences in a manner that is acceptable to the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The United States continues to urge both Beijing and Taipei to establish substantive cross-Strait dialogue to the mutual benefit of people on both sides of the Strait.  We support expansion of transportation and communication links across the Strait aimed at increasing political, economic, social, and cultural exchanges with a view to increasing mutual understanding and diminishing the chances of miscommunication or misunderstanding.

(end statement)

(begin excerpt of State Department briefing)

MR. ERELI:  ... The final statement is just a reiteration of U.S. policy on Taiwan.  We are pointing out, once again, that our - the U.S. policy towards Taiwan is governed by our "one China" policy, the Taiwan Relations Act and the three U.S.-China joint communiqués, and we urge both Beijing and Taipei to establish substantive cross-strait dialogue to the mutual benefit of both sides on the strait.

QUESTION:  Are you issuing this to celebrate China's New Year or is there a reason?

MR. ERELI:  No.  We're issuing this in the wake of some comments by President Chen in Taiwan that we don't want to be inflammatory or send the wrong signal, so we thought it useful to reiterate U.S. policy on the subject.

QUESTION:  What do you think of his move to abolish the unification panel that was set up?

MR. ERELI:  Well, as I said, there were some remarks made over the weekend that are just that, remarks.  As far as U.S. is concerned - United States is concerned, our policy towards this issue hasn't changed.  We think it's important that both sides engage in dialogue and that there be - and very importantly, I think it's - I want to underscore this - the United States opposes any unilateral change to the status quo by either side.

Yeah.

QUESTION:  Adam?

QUESTION:  On Taiwan, too.  The - President Chen also mentioned that he would like to promote Taiwan's participation in the United Nations, especially in the name of Taiwan.  I'm just wondering what's the U.S. stand on that issue.

MR. ERELI:  I think if you look at the broad principles of our policy, you'll see that we don't - we oppose, as I just said, any unilateral change to the status quo, and that would govern that issue as well.

QUESTION:  How about the United Nations participation?

MR. ERELI:  That's a unilateral change to the status quo.

QUESTION:  I see.  Well, were you caught by surprise this time?

MR. ERELI:  We certainly weren't expecting it and we weren't consulted about it.  So I'd say it was a surprise.

QUESTION:  So, were you mad at that?

MR. ERELI:  We think it's useful, as I said earlier, in the wake of the speech, to give a clear and unequivocal restatement of U.S. policy.

QUESTION:  Do you regard his - you know, statement as a kind of - you know, betrayal to his commitments that he had said again and again to the U.S.?

MR. ERELI:  We think it's important that both sides engage in substantive dialogue to the mutual benefit of the people on both sides of the strait.

QUESTION:  President Chen also called for drawing a draft for new constitution this year and having a referendum on the new constitution next year.  Do you have any comment on this -

MR. ERELI:  Not beyond what I've already said....