U.S. and Taiwan (2009)

U.S. Department of State

Remarks by Secretary Clinton En Route to Tokyo, Japan

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State, Office of the Spokesman
En Route, Tokyo, Japan
February 15, 2009

[ ...Intervening Text... ]

QUESTION: One last question about China. One issue on China that has not come up in the briefings but is an irritant in the relationship is Taiwan, and especially the military sales to Taiwan by the United States. Is the U.S. intent on continuing those supplies, selling arms to Taiwan?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, as you know, our policy with respect to Taiwan is based on the One China policy and the three communiqués and the Taiwan Relations Act. And under the Taiwan Relations Act, there is a clear provision that the United States will provide support for Taiwan's defense. And that is why there have been, over the many years, the sale of defensive materials to Taiwan.

What I'm pleased about is the decreased tension across the Taiwan Strait and the increasing cooperation that we've recently seen. We obviously want to support and promote that, and I think that the current Chinese Government and the current government in Taiwan also have that as an objective. But our policy remains as it has been.

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