WASHINGTON, Oct 28 (AFP) - US Secretary of State Colin Powell underlined Thursday the US commitment to defend Taiwan and respect for the one-China policy, during talks with China's visiting military chief.
"Yes, the issue of Taiwan did come up," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said when asked whether the prickly matter had been raised.
Boucher said Powell reiterated to General Liang Guanglie, chairman of the general staff of the People's Liberation Army, the US policy guiding relations with China and Taiwan, which many analysts see as ambiguous.
Powell "noted that our position remains unchanged and is based on a one-China policy, commitments to the three joint communiques, and upholding our responsibilities under the Taiwan Relations Act," Boucher said.
Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States shall offer the island the means of self-defence if its security was threatened.
The United States is Taiwan's bigger arms supplier even though it moved diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.
Under US one-China policy, Washington recognises China's position that Taiwan is part of China but officials have always quietly stressed that this was not US position.
Powell angered Taiwanese officials and lawmakers this week by making unusually strong comments denying that Taiwan is a sovereign state and suggesting the island should unify with China.
Washington usually avoids weighing in on the touchy split.
Powell clarified Wednesday that US policy on China and Taiwan has not changed, in an apparent bid to assuage Taipei's concerns over the remarks he made during a visit to Beijing on Monday.
He said the United States wanted a peaceful "resolution" to the cross strait problem.
Communist China has been insisting that Taiwan is part of its territory awaiting reunification -- even through war -- despite their split in 1949 after civil strife.
10/28/2004 20:45 GMT - AFP