The top US diplomat in East Asia sought to reassure Taiwan of Washington’s support for its “Six Assurances” despite the previous rejection of this policy by US President Donald Trump. However, he did not provide a timeline for the approval of a blocked arms package for the self-governing island valued at 14 billion US dollars.
Michael DeSombre, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, stated during a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday that US policy toward Taiwan has not changed. He reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Trump’s position on Taiwan and the ‘Six Assurances’
DeSombre noted that Beijing “constantly tells us about its desire for us not to sell weapons to Taiwan” when asked about Trump’s discussions with Chinese leader Xi Jinping regarding Taiwan last month in Beijing. He added that these discussions “are always conducted with them, but in no way represent a deviation from the Six Assurances”.
One of the “Six Assurances” — commitments made to Taiwan in 1982 — is that the US will not consult with Beijing in advance before making decisions on arms sales to Taiwan. However, during his trip to China, Trump appeared to break this promise by stating that he had discussed arms sales to Taiwan with Xi “in great detail”. On board Air Force One, returning to Washington, Trump downplayed the significance of the “Six Assurances,” telling journalists that “1982 was a long time ago… a very long distance away”. Taipei was also alarmed by Trump’s remark that the large arms package was a “very good bargaining chip”.
This 14 billion US dollar package was suspended by the Trump administration following strong opposition from Beijing. DeSombre reported that the arms package “is currently under review” by Trump, and the president “will determine when this will happen,” but he did not specify a timeline for its approval. Earlier, the South China Morning Post, citing multiple sources, reported that Washington is unlikely to announce new arms sales to Taiwan in the near future, especially ahead of Xi’s planned visit to the US. Trump indicated that the Chinese leader will visit the US in September.
Beijing considers Taiwan part of China and has vowed to reunify it by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognize Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington opposes any attempts to seize the self-governing island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.
When asked if US strikes on Iran could weaken deterrence in the Taiwan Strait, DeSombre responded that “our adversaries looked at the capabilities of our US armed forces and saw what they did not expect,” without directly naming Beijing. He added: “I think this made them think quite seriously.”
Tensions in the South China Sea
Thursday’s hearing was announced as a review of the “America First” approach in East Asia and the Pacific region, but Taiwan dominated a significant portion of the session. DeSombre also addressed issues ranging from the South China Sea to Japan.
This month, Beijing intensified coast guard operations in the South China Sea in response to Japan and the Philippines’ announcement of the start of official negotiations on their maritime borders in waters that overlap with Taiwan’s claims. A US State Department spokesperson previously called reports of China’s pursuit of commercial vessels “deeply destabilizing,” adding that Washington “rejects any claims by China to interfere with freedom of navigation or overflight.” China’s Foreign Ministry stated on Thursday that its actions were “lawful actions to exercise China’s jurisdiction,” urging countries to respect China’s sovereignty.
DeSombre stated at the hearing that China’s activities in the South China Sea “obviously cause us the greatest concern, and we are watching this very closely.” He added: “This is an area where we are very focused and really working with our allies and partners… to ensure deterrence along the first island chain. And really to ensure that we have the potential to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”
According to: South China Morning Post