Bush Visit to Asia

 [Congressional Action] [Speeches and Reports] [Policy Sites] [News] [Papers]

2005-2006

~2004

U.S. Policy on Taiwan an 'Inseparable Package': Rice
(CNA, Oct. 26, 2006) The U.S. government's policy on Taiwan is comprised of an inseparable "package" including its commitment to help Taiwan defend itself, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said.

Bush Sets Defense As Space Priority
(Washington Post, Oct. 18, 2006) President Bush has signed a new National Space Policy that rejects future arms-control agreements that might limit U.S. flexibility in space and asserts a right to deny access to space to anyone "hostile to U.S. interests."

US Puts Direct Links before FTA
(Taipei Times, July 22, 2006) Karan Bhatia recommended Taiwan open to China before the US considers inking a free-trade pact during a hearing on international relations in Washington.

House Passes Provision Boosting Taiwan Ties
(LA Times, June 29, 2006) The House voted for a measure lifting some decades-old restrictions on contacts U.S. officials can have with Taiwan. The legislation has not been considered by the Senate.

US Renews Security Pledge to Taiwan Despite Chen's Stopover Snub (AFP, May 12, 2006) The United States reaffirmed its security pledge to Taiwan and said relations would be unaffected by disagreements over President Chen Shui-bian's planned US stopover.

US to Blame for Changes in Flight Plan, Says Taiwan
(AP, May 6, 2006) Taiwan's Foreign Minister blamed US officials for revealing information about a planned transit in Lebanon that led to President Chen Shui-bian's plane changing its flight plan in mid-air and making an unscheduled landing in the United Arab Emirates.

Taiwan President Lands in Abu Dhabi After US Snub
(Reuters, May 5, 2006) Taiwan's president landed in Abu Dhabi for a refueling stop after turning down Washington's offer to transit in Alaska when the U.S. scotched plans for an overnight stay in New York.

Taiwan Leader Rejects Offer of U.S. Stop
(AP, May 4, 2006) Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian will not fly through the United States during his trip to Latin America, the Foreign Ministry said, signaling a rift between Taipei and its longtime ally Washington.

U.S. Says No to Overnight Stay for Taiwanese Leader
(New York Times, May 4, 2006) Taiwan's president, Chen Shui-bian, delayed an overseas trip at the last minute after the United States denied him permission to stop overnight on American soil, a diplomatic setback for the independence-leaning Taiwanese leader.

US Response Puts Chen's S. America Trip in Limbo
(Straits Times, May 3, 2006) Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian may be forced to postpone a visit to Central and South America, Taipei said on the eve of his trip, after a request to transit in the US was reportedly turned down by Washington.

US Restates Taiwan Commitment
(CNA, Mar. 11, 2006) William Fallon, commander of the US Pacific Command (PACOM), reaffirmed Washington's commitment to defend Taiwan against any military action by China, while again urging Taiwan to beef up its capability to defend itself.

Rice Scolds Taiwan in House Hearing
(Taipei Times, Feb. 18, 2006) US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Thursday that the US hasn't always received a "satisfactory" response from Taiwan with regard to US efforts to help modernize the Taiwanese military.

Pentagon Report Singles out China as Potential Military Rival
(AFP, Feb. 4, 2006) A major review of US military strategy singled out China as the country with the greatest potential to challenge the United States militarily.

Taiwan Policy Is Still the Same, Claim US Officials
(CNA, Oct. 9, 2005) The US Department of Defense said that its policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged and that the weaponry the US plans to sell to the country is defensive rather than offensive.

Taipei Welcomes Bush's Renewed Security Pledge
(China Post, June 10, 2005) Bush repeated the pledge in an interview with Fox News TV Channel. He said, "If China were to invade unilaterally, we would rise up in the spirit of Taiwan Relations Act." …if Taiwan were to declare independence, "it would be a unilateral decision that then change the U.S. equation."

AIT Official Meets with DPP Legislative Caucus
(Taipei Times, Feb. 23, 2005) The US government might pressure China over its proposed "anti-secession law," an American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) official said.

Bill Introduced in US Congress to Restore Diplomatic Ties with Taiwan (AP, Feb. 17, 2005) A bipartisan resolution has been introduced in the House of Representatives demanding resumption of diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

Time Right for a US-Taiwan FTA By Claude Barfield
(TT, Oct. 24, 2006) U.S. shift toward bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) with willing partners will bring into stark relief a major dilemma for US trade and diplomatic policy: the increasing political and economic isolation of Taiwan within the region.

A Strange Calculus By Gary J. Schmitt, Dan Blumenthal
(Wall Street Journal Asia, Aug. 21, 2006) U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld last month wrote to the U.S. Congress opposing a measure calling for upgraded military exchanges with Taiwan. The measure in question ought not to be contentious. Washington has a vital interest in encouraging Taiwan to improve its defensive capabilities.

The US Ignores Asia at Its Peril By Richard Halloran
(Taipei Times, Aug 12, 2006) With fighting in Iraq, Israel and Afghanistan and ominous noises coming from Iran, Washington is neglecting the very part of the world that has become the 'center of gravity.'

Turf Battles Characterize US' Taiwan Policy
(Taipei Times, July 10, 2006) Some analysts interviewed by the Taipei Times have talked about a "dysfunctional" US policy toward Taiwan as a result of turf battles, ineffective communication and snap judgments.

US Plan for Defending Taiwan Disclosed By Charles Snyder
(Taipei Times, June 5, 2006) The US military has developed a comprehensive operational plan to fight China and defend Taiwan in case of a Chinese attack. The plan, which is overseen by the US Pacific Command headquartered in Honolulu, involves not only US Pacific forces, but also US troops and equipment worldwide.

Pentagon Seeks Nonnuclear Tip for Sub Missiles By Michael R. Gordon
(New York Times, May 29, 2007) The Pentagon is pressing Congress to approve the development of a new weapon that would enable the United States to carry out nonnuclear missile strikes against distant targets within an hour.

Annual Report to Congress: Military Power of the People's Republic of China (United States Department of Defense, May 24, 2006) This report addresses (1) China’s grand strategy, security strategy, and military strategy; (2) developments in China’s military doctrine and force structure, to include developments in advanced technologies which would enhance China’s military capabilities; and, (3) the security situation in the Taiwan Strait.

Robert Zoellick's Testimony on China, Taiwan
(Hearing of the House International Relations Committee, May 10, 2006) The debate in Washington foreign policy circles as to whether China is a, quote, "responsible stakeholder" or a rising challenge presents a false dichotomy. Nearly three decades after we normalized relations, it is self-evident that China is both.

The Bush Administration Snubs Taiwan By Ted Galen Carpenter (Foxnews.com, May 12, 2006) Throughout his presidency, Chen has pushed the envelope on Taiwanese independence, often infuriating Beijing and heightening tensions in the Taiwan Strait. He also has tended to blind side the United States with his initiatives.

Stopover Snub a Message to Chen over China Issue By Eugene Low
(Straits Times, May 6, 20060 The United States, in refusing to allow Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian to transit in its major cities, is warning the pro-independence leader against making further moves that could raise tensions with China, observers say.

Expert Says 'Breach of Faith' Spurred U.S. Decision
(Central News Agency, May 5, 2006) A breach of faith by Taiwan could have been responsible for Washington's decision to limit President Chen Shui-bian's planned transit stops in the United States during his latest Latin American visit.

Book Argues US Must Stay Out of China-Taiwan Spat
(Reuters, Apr. 14, 2006) The United States should renounce military commitments to Taiwan to avoid a potentially costly conflict if the island declares independence from China, said Ted Galen Carpenter which warns of a U.S.-China war within the next decade.

US Security Report Calls for More Reform in China By Charles Snyder (Taipei Times, Mar. 17, 2006) US President George W. Bush has repeated his call for a peaceful resolution of cross-strait tensions, warning China that it should not use coercive measures against Taiwan, and warning both sides against actions that change the "status quo." The call was contained in the president's National Security Strategy, a 49-page report released yesterday by the National Security Council.

Guam to Become the 'Pivot Point' for the US' Pacific Forces By Richard Halloran (Taipei Times, Mar. 14, 2006) The US Pacific Command is recasting the posture of its military forces in the western Pacific and Asia with the new pivot point to be a robust base on the island of Guam. The operative watchword has already become "flexibility."

Senior Taiwan Officials’ Comments on National Unification Council
(U.S. State Department, Mar. 3, 2006) We expect the Taiwan authorities publicly to correct the record and unambiguously affirm that the February 27 announcement did not abolish the National Unification Council, did not change the status quo, and that the assurances remain in effect.

Pentagon Official Voices China-Taiwan Concerns
(Reuters, Feb. 9, 2006) China may be preparing to deal with its dispute over Taiwan through other than political means as it increases its offensive military power, a top Pentagon official said.

America Missing Out in Asia By Brad Glosserman
(Japan Times, Jan. 26, 2006) The structure of global power is shifting, and Asia is finally emerging as one of the pillars of the international system. The failure to appreciate the forces at work in the region means that the U.S. will miss a chance to harness Asia's dynamism and energy to U.S. interests.

Bush to Asia: Freedom Is More Than Markets By Dan Blumenthal and Tom Donnelly (Washington Post, Nov. 27, 2005) The president's just-concluded Asian trip bore signs that his devotion to democracy is beginning to shape American strategy beyond the "greater Middle East," calling into question the policy of economic engagement.

US Needs to Delink Taiwan and China
(Editorial, Taipei Times, Nov. 18, 2005) Eventually the US must realize that the "Taiwan issue" can not be treated as a subset of the "China issue." This approach may have had currency in 1951, but it makes little sense now.

America’s Bismarckian Asia Policy By Eric Heginbotham and Christopher P. Twomey (Current History, Sep. 2005) US policy is not achieving the goals set out for it. It is ceding regional leadership while seeding regional rivalry. It is missing opportunities to help shape the development of a new security environment through regional institutions and instead acting to exacerbate the rise of nationalism.

US Needs Real Experts on Taiwan By Nat Bellocchi
(Taipei Times, Aug. 25, 2005) There is, therefore, an important need for the US to have Taiwan experts (not China experts with a little knowledge of Taiwan) following events there, and the same could be said of Taiwan in understanding the US.

U.S. Congressman Aims to Boost Taiwan Security
(Central Agency News, July 30, 2005) U.S. Congressman Robert Andrews (Democrat, New Jersey) submitted a concurrent resolution Thursday, calling for enhanced security for Taiwan.

US Should Keep Its Hands Off Taiwan
(China Daily, July 29, 2005) The clear shift from "strategic ambiguity" to "strategic clarity" will encourage the "Taiwan independence" forces, especially the politicians, to push the envelope.

China's New Power (NYT, May 7, 2005) By working out clear understandings with Beijing on regional issues today, Washington could help avoid unnecessary and highly destructive future conflicts.

The Complexity of Taiwan's Ties With Lobbyists By Judy Sarasohn (Washington Post, Apr. 21, 2005) Taiwan's relationships with its Washington lobbyists are sometimes as complicated and tortuous as its relationship with the U.S. government.

US Must Be More Active in Strait By Nat Bellocch
(Taipei Times, Feb. 15, 2005) Cross-strait relations are getting more complicated. To keep up with the changes, the US will need much better communication channels and more experts on its relations with Taiwan.