Bush Visit to Asia

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

 ~2004

KMT Warns That Chen’s Lying about the US' Support
(Taipei Times, Dec 25, 2004) Pan-blue officials blasted the president for `lying' to the Taiwanese people about the US' willingness to support and defend the country against Beijing.

US Govt Signs 99-Year Lease for Taipei Office
(AFP, Dec. 23, 2004) The United States yesterday signed a 99-year lease on a site for its new de facto embassy in Taiwan.

US Defense of Taiwan Would Be Congress' Decision
(CNA, Dec. 22, 2004) The US Congress will decide whether the US should go to war with China should it attack Taiwan, US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said.

US to Post Military Officers to Taiwan Mission: Jane's
(AFP, Dec. 19, 2004) In a reversal of its long-standing policy, the United States will post military officers to its mission in Taipei for the first time since 1979, leading defense journal Jane's Defense Weekly says.

Bush Calls on China to Show Restraint
(Taipei Times, Nov. 22, 2004) US President George W. Bush sent a strong message to his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao, calling on China to exercise restraint in its military buildup across the Taiwan Strait.

U.S. Reassures That Taiwan Policy Remains Same
(Taiwan News, Nov. 22, 2004) The U.S. government had assured Taiwan that there would be no changes in its policy toward cross-Taiwan Strait relations before U.S. President George W. Bush held talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Chile.

U.S. Cross-Strait Policy Not Expected to Change When Rice Takes Over (CNA, Nov. 17, 2004) U.S. policy on cross-Taiwan Strait relations is expected to remain unchanged after Condoleezza Rice takes over from Colin Powell as secretary of state, a group of U.S.-based academics opined.

Powell Comments May Irk Taiwan
(Reuters, Oct. 26, 2004) "We want to see both sides not take unilateral action that would prejudice an eventual outcome, a reunification that all parties are seeking," Powell told CNN International. "Taiwan is not independent. It does not enjoy sovereignty as a nation, and that remains our policy, our firm policy," Powell told Phoenix TV.

Bush, Hu Discuss North Korea, Taiwan
(AFP, Oct. 8, 2004) "He also reiterated his opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, and encouraged Beijing to look for opportunities for cross-strait dialogue," said McClellan.

Washington Says No Need to Rethink 'One China' Policy
(Taipei Times, Oct. 6, 2004) The US government said it has no plans to alter its "one China" policy in response to senior presidential advisor Koo Kwang-ming's full-page advertisements in US and Taiwanese newspapers which urged the US to reconsider the policy.

U.S. to Pull 70, 000 Troops from Europe, Asia
(Reuters, Aug. 14, 2004) The U.S. Air Force was currently discussing plans to deploy heavy bombers and new F/A-22 jets to Guam in the Pacific to address possible future threat from North Korea and China.

Bush ' Convinced' Peace Possible
(Taipei Times, Aug. 11, 2004) US President George W. Bush said that he is "convinced" that cross-strait issues can be settled peacefully. But, he added, resolution of the issues will "take some time."

US Congress Backs TRA Resolution
(Taipei Times, July 17, 2004) The US House of Representatives voted 400-18 in favor of a resolution reaffirming Washington's commitment to peace in the Taiwan Strait.

U.S. House Passes Resolution Supporting Visits by Taiwan Officials (CNA, June 26, 2004) The U.S. House of Representatives' International Relations Committee passed a resolution to reiterate Congress's commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act and to state that serving Taiwan officials should be allowed to visit the United States.

US Will Support Taiwan's Bid for OAS Observership
(Taipei Times, May 29, 2004) The US has pledged to help Taiwan secure a position as a permanent observer in the Organization of American States.

U.S. Obligated to Help Taiwan Defend Itself, Cheney Says
(Bloomberg, Apr. 15, 2004) Cheney defended arms sales to Taiwan while reiterating U.S. support for the ''one-China'' principle.

Top U.S. Taiwan Official Resigns
(CNN.com, Apr. 8, 2004) Therese Shaheen, the head of the unofficial U.S. government office handling diplomatic relations with Taiwan has resigned, the State Department says.

U.S. House Committee Passes Bill Backing Taiwan's WHA Bid
(CNA, Apr. 2, 2004) The U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on International Relations passed a bill supporting Taiwan's bid to join the World Health Assembly as an observer.

U.S. Reaffirms Military Support for Taiwan
(WP, Jan. 16, 2004) Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, concluded two days of talks with senior Chinese military leaders and said they understand "very clearly" that the United States "will resist any attempt to use coercion" to resolve the status of Taiwan.

President Warns Taiwan On Independence Efforts
(WP, Dec. 10, 2003) Bush raised no objection when Wen said Bush had expressed his "opposition to Taiwan independence," but declared that "the comments and actions made by the leader of Taiwan indicate that he may be willing to make decisions unilaterally to change the status quo, which we oppose."

Bush Seeks to Realign U.S. Forces
(Japan Times, Nov. 28, 2003) The U.S. government is intensifying its talks with traditional allies and other security partners on a global realignment of American troops and bases.

US Warns China Not to Use Force against Taiwan
(Taipei Times, Nov. 21, 2003) "We oppose any attempt by either side to unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait," State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said.

US Says It's Capable of Keeping Cross-Strait Peace
(TT, Nov. 20, 2003) "We have full faith that the question of Taiwan will be resolved peacefully, and it is on this premise that we base our policy regarding Taiwan and the People's Republic of China," Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said in Washington.

U.S. Signals Asian Strategy Shift
(CNN.com, Nov. 16, 2003) U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld visits U.S. troops in Japan to see first-hand a military presence that Washington is under pressure to reduce as it realigns its forces around the world.

Powell Praises China on North Korea, Soothes on Taiwan
(AFP, Nov. 6, 2003) US Secretary of State Colin Powell praised China for bearing the US "message" to North Korea during a simmering nuclear crisis, and promised Washington has no hidden agendas towards Taiwan.

Australia, US to Work for Peace in Taiwan Straits: Bush
(ABC News, Oct. 23, 2003) "Today America and Australia are working with Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore and other nations to expand trade and fight terror and keep the peace in the Taiwan Straits."

U.S. Passes Bill Containing Key Taiwan Provisions
(CNA, July 18, 2003) The U.S. House of Representatives passed the annual State Department Authorization Bill, which contains several provisions related to Taiwan, by a vote of 382-42.

U.S. Supports Taiwan But Not Its Independence
(CNA, June 28, 2003) The United States fully maintains its obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act, but the U.S. government does not support Taiwan independence, several U.S. officials reiterated.

Reports: U.S. Warns Taiwan Not to Hold Referendum
(AFP, June 21, 2003) The United States has warned Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian not to hold a referendum to decide Taiwan's future, two newspapers reported.

U.S. to Shake Up Asian Presence
(CNN.com, June 2, 2003) U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz told U.S. troops based at Camp Greaves in South Korea that "adjustments" were needed to create a "stronger deterrent posture."

U.S. to Realign Troops in Asia
(LA Times, May 29, 2003) The Pentagon is planning a broad realignment of troops in Asia that may include moving Marines out of Japan and establishing a network of small bases in countries such as Australia, Singapore and Malaysia.

New U.S. Bill Backs Taiwan's Bid for WHO
(Taiwan News, Mar. 13, 2003) The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed an amendment aimed at supporting Taiwan's bid for the World Health Organization.

Taiwan Not the Price for China Aid: US
(Taipei Times, Feb. 23, 2003) US Secretary of State Colin Powell told Chinese-language media that he will not discuss US arms sales to Taiwan with Chinese leaders during his upcoming visit to Beijing.

State Department Official Reaffirms U.S. Commitment to Taiwan
(CNA, Feb. 17, 2003) A senior Bush administration official reaffirmed that the U.S. policy towards Taiwan and mainland China has been consistent and never changed for the past 20-plus years.

American Institute in Taiwan Names Chair
(AP, Dec. 31, 2002) American Institute in Taiwan, which handles official business between the United States and the Asian island — has appointed Therese Shaheen its new managing director and chairwoman of the board.

U.S. Policy on 'One China' Remains Unchanged: President Bush
(CNA, Oct 2, 2002) U.S. President George W. Bush said that the U.S. policy on "one China" remains unchanged as he signed into law a piece of legislation containing language favoring closer security ties between the United States and Taiwan.

US Law Aims to Enhance Taiwan Ties
(Taipei Times, Oct. 2, 2002) The Foreign Relations Authorization Act for 2003 was passed by Congress last week. It contains four provisions aimed specifically at better relations with Taiwan.

U.S. House Passes Pro-Taiwan Resolution
(Taiwan News, Sep. 27, 2002) In a section of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act passed, the U.S. House of Representatives reiterated that "it is the policy of the United States that any resolution of the Taiwan Strait issue must be peaceful and include the assent of the people of Taiwan."

U.S. Opposed to Taiwan Independence: Wolfowitz
(China Post, May 31, 2002) In a subtle change of wording U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz on Wednesday stated unambiguously Washington's position on the issue of Taiwan independence.

U.S. Central to Peace in Taiwan Strait, Says Wolfowitz
(China Post, May 17, 2002) Although standing firmly behind the declared U.S. "one China" policy, Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz stressed that the U.S. commitment to ensure security for Taiwan is central to a peaceful solution to the cross-strait deadlock.

Taiwan Getting a Stronger Voice in US Congress
(Taipei Times, April 11, 2002) Amid signs of improvement in relations between the US and Taiwan under the George W. Bush administration, a new group has been established on Capitol Hill which co-founders say is dedicated to the further enhancement of the bilateral relationship.

U.S. Works Up Plan for Using Nuclear Arms
(LA Times, March 9, 2002) The report says the Pentagon should be prepared to use nuclear weapons in an Arab-Israeli conflict, in a war between China and Taiwan, or in an attack from North Korea on the south. They might also become necessary in an attack by Iraq on Israel or another neighbor, it said.

US Admiral Echoes Bush on Taiwan
(Taipei Times, Mar. 1, 2002) Following US President George W. Bush's lead in comments he made during his recent trip to Beijing, the US' top commander in the Asia-Pacific region cited the Taiwan Relations Act as the key to assuring China would not attack Taiwan anytime in the future.

Taiwan to Get Caucus in U.S. Congress
(Taiwan News, Dec. 21, 2001) A "Taiwan Caucus" in the U.S. House of Representatives has been formed and will be formally announced in January when the next session begins, hoping that such a group will serve as an official channel for legislators from both the U.S. and Taiwan to exchange ideas.

US Congress Mulls Bills Supporting Taiwan
(TT, Sep. 6, 2001) As the US Congress enters the final weeks of its 2001 session amid a flurry of U.S.-China diplomatic activities, Taiwan supporters in and outside of Congress are seeking to push a number of bills demonstrating Washington's backing of Taiwan's position in a number of key areas.

Beijing Not An Enemy: US Senator
(South China Morning Post, Aug. 8, 2001) Delegation conciliatory after concerns raised over possible missile sales to Pakistan. The new chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee said yesterday China's human rights record and possible missile sales to Pakistan are disrupting smooth ties with Washington, even though he said "China is not an enemy".

U.S. Strategy Doesn't Spell Asia Troop Cut – Admiral
(Reuters, July 19, 2001) A possible shift in U.S. military strategy to focus on the capability to win one major conflict and defend against new threats would not spell a reduction in forces in Asia, Admiral Dennis Blair, commander-in-chief of the U.S. Pacific Command, said on Thursday.

US May Not Back Independent Taiwan
(Taipei Times, July 7, 2001) The US would not go to war with China over a "symbolic" move by Taiwan to declare independence unilaterally, a former US defense official said in Taipei.

Taiwan Military Officers' Visit to Washington Breaks New Ground
(LA Times, June 29, 2001) A delegation of Taiwanese military officers visited Washington this month and met with officials from several U.S. government agencies in the most extensive contact of its kind in more than two decades.

Powell to Allow Taiwan's President to Stop Briefly in U.S.
(NYT, May 15, 2001) Secretary of State Colin L. Powell said that he would grant President Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan permission to stop briefly in the United States on his way to and from Latin America. But General Powell stressed that the visit would be an unofficial one that marks no change in United States policy of recognizing only one China.

Pentagon Plans Major Changes in U.S. Strategy
(WP, May 7, 2001) Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is set to unveil sweeping changes in U.S. military strategy, including the formal abandonment of the "two major war" yardstick that for a decade has been used to determine the size of the military.

Cheney Reiterates US Serious About Defending Taiwan
(AFP, Apr. 30, 2001) US Vice President Dick Cheney said that although the US continues to support a "one-China" policy, it is "serious" about defending Taiwan from any threat of force from China.

Bush Advisers: No Change in Policy Toward Taiwan
(Washington Post, Apr. 27, 2001) President Bush's advisers sought yesterday to defuse the furor caused by his statements about U.S. defense of Taiwan, saying the comments were not intended to change policy or antagonize China.

Rice: Bush Takes Taiwan Obligations Seriously
(Reuters, Apr. 26, 2001) President George W. Bush's remarks on Wednesday about defending Taiwan were intended to demonstrate that he takes US obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act ''seriously and resolutely,'' National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said.

Bush Says Use of Force Is 'an Option' in Defense of Taiwan
(New York Times, Apr. 25, 2001) In a taped interview on ABC's "Good Morning America," Mr. Bush said the United States had an obligation toward Taiwan. Pressed on whether that meant use of American military force, he said the United States would do "whatever it took" to help the island defend itself.

Clinton's China Policy Dropped
(AP, Mar. 19, 2001) The State Department quietly buried a U.S.-China "three noes" policy outlined by President Clinton in 1998: no support for Taiwan independence, no recognition for a separate Taiwanese government, no backing of Taiwan's entry into international organizations.

'Six Assurances' Remain US Policy: Powell
(Taiwan Headlines, Mar. 9, 2001) U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell Thursday in Washington stated that the "Six Assurances," first outlined by the Reagan Administration in 1982, remain U.S. policy toward Taiwan.

Poll Shows Americans Would Oppose Using Troops to Defend Taiwan
(CNA, Feb. 14, 2001) A new survey shows that 51 percent of Americans would oppose U.S. military intervention in the event of an invasion of Taiwan by mainland China, while 37 percent would support such an intervention.

U.S. Words Matter in Taiwan
(Editorial, China Post, Dec. 15, 2004) The surprise outcome of Saturday's legislative elections, blocking the pro-independence President Chen Shui-bian's bid to control the legislature, is a relief for Beijing, Washington and Taiwan's neighbors.

Rice Likely to Remain Tough Toward Taipei, Beijing: Scholars By Chris Cockel (China Post, Nov. 18, 2004) Rice is expected to stick closely to President George W. Bush's firm opposition to either side making potentially destabilizing moves.

Forecasting US policy on Taiwan
(China Daily, Nov. 9, 2004) "Given that the United States needs more help from China, no one expects Washington to hold a hostile stance towards Beijing on the Taiwan issue."

Powell's Final Mission in Asia? By Jonathan Eyal
(Straits Times, Oct. 23, 2004) The visit is an indication of Washington's future strategic priorities, regardless of who will be occupying the White House from January onwards.

Washington's Vague Messages May Have Helped Cross-Strait Peace (Associated Press, Oct. 21, 2004) The policy keeps both sides guessing and may have helped keep the peace. In the event of a conflict, U.S. involvement would be limited to air and naval forces.

US Influence in Asia Seen Waning under Bush By P Parameswaran (Daily Times, Sep. 1, 2004) The rise of China looms over Southeast Asia and East Asia particularly as a spectre of things to come if the United States is not there to provide more than moral support.

Marching Out Of Asia By Susan V. Lawrence and David Lague (Far Eastern Economic Review, Aug. 26, 2004) President George W. Bush, under pressure in Iraq and on the campaign trail, has endorsed a shift in America's military presence in the region. Trading troops for technology may make military sense, but it's making a lot of people very nervous.

America Needs a China Strategy By Tom Manning
(International Herald Tribune, July 22, 2004) China is rapidly developing into a global economic force. Yet U.S. policy toward China remains confusing and contradictory as a result.

Time for the US to Make New Rules By Nat Bellocchi
(Taipei Times, July 5, 2004) Finding a way that assures more effective senior level communications between the US and Taiwan without every meeting risking tensions in the Strait can be done.

Washington Must Change Cross-Strait Policy, Says Expert
(Straits Times, June 22, 2004) Washington’s policy of 'strategic ambiguity' towards China and Taiwan is no longer effective, according to China expert Susan Shirk, who said it would need to be more pro-active to resolve the increasingly tense cross-strait situation.

US Helps Taiwan Build Credible Deterrence By Ching Cheong
(Straits Times, June 16, 2004) By suggesting to Taiwan to target China's Three Gorges Dam in the event of a Chinese attack, the United States is, effectively, helping the renegade province to develop a credible deterrence capability.

US Election Pivotal to Taiwan: Analysts
(Taipei Times, June 14, 2004) The year-end presidential election in the US is pivotal to cross-strait relations, since the US is playing the role of a friendly mediator, supervisor and insurer of President Chen Shui-bian's "peace and stability framework" for interactions with China.

Washington Warms Up to Chen Again By Roger Mitton
(Straits Times, June 4, 2004) After months of giving Taiwan's President the cold shoulder, the US is now making several concessions.

Balancing U.S. Interests in the Strait By Ronald Montaperto
(China Brief, Jamestown Foundation, May 27, 2004) It is only by adroit management that the United States will be able to affect a resolution of the China/Taiwan dilemma that offers a chance of maintaining its strategic equities.

US Hands-On Management of Cross-Strait Tension By Bonnie S Glaser (Pacific Forum CSIS, May 2004) On the surface, it appears that China, Taiwan and the United States share the same objective of preserving the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. The problem is that all three have different definitions of the status quo.

Supporting the Status Quo By Martin L. Lasater
(Taiwan Security Research Center, Apr. 17, 2004) As long as the United States stays the course of its present policy, the zero-sum aspirations of the DPP and the CCP cannot be realized – even in the case of war.

U.S.-Taiwan Relations: The Guardian Angel Finally Had Enough By Susan V. Lawrence (Far Eastern Economic Review, Apr. 22, 2004) The departure of Therese Shaheen as head of the Washington office of the de facto U.S. embassy in Taiwan will end a stormy 16 months that her critics say complicated U.S. diplomacy over a potential cause for war.

Dual Deterrence: A New Taiwan Strategy By Logan Wright
(The National Interest, Mar. 31, 2004) The United States needs to change its approach toward Taiwan to keep Chen’s agenda in check and avoid a cross-Strait military conflict. 

U.S., Taiwan 'Close Friends:' U.S. By Chris Cockel
(China Post, Jan. 31, 2004) Though there might have been a minor hiccup in relations between Taipei and Washington over the proposed Election Day referendum, the U.S. administration still regards Taiwan as a "close friend," according to a senior U.S. government official.

The Pillars of the US' Taiwan Policy By Nat Bellocchi
(Taipei Times, Dec. 29, 2003) America's purpose in maintaining the status quo is to block unilateral efforts to attain either unification or independence from erupting into war.

Majority Rule Abroad Doesn't Always Serve U.S. Interests By Tom Raum (Associated Press, Dec. 14, 2003) President Bush has put the spread of democracy at the core of his foreign policy. Unless it takes him where he does not want to go. Taiwan, for instance.

Bush Changes Tack in Strait of Taiwan By Kathrin Hille and James Kynge (Financial Times, Dec. 11, 2003) US position shifts from that of professed guardian of Taiwan's democracy to that of intended guarantor of peace across the Taiwan Strait.

United States and Taiwan: Diplomatic But Triumphal Progress By Susan V. Lawrence (Far Eastern Economic Review, Nov. 13, 2003) Seeking re-election next March, Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian is put under fewer restrictions by the U.S. government when he visits New York.

Ambiguities Continue to Blossom By Nat Bellocchi
(Taipei Times, July 21, 2003) There are an endless number of ambiguities in the US-Taiwan relationship. The most obvious, of course, is the "one China" policy used by the US.

U.S. to Up Naval Presence in East Asia By Chris Cockel
(China Post, July 10, 2003) Having achieved a military victory in Iraq and with U.S. ground forces engaged in post war operations in that country, Washington is likely to redeploy a sizable proportion of its air and naval power to East Asia.

AIT Clears the Air
(Editorial, China Post, June 9, 2003) American Institute in Taiwan Chairwoman Therese Shaheen has come out to clear the air with regard to the latest rumors, stating unequivocally that President Bush has not changed U.S. policy toward Taiwan.

Force Restructuring Anxiety By Ralph Cossa
(Japan Times, June 6, 2003) Changes in force structure were inevitable, he seemed to be saying, but they would not be made at the expense of the region's security.

Us Changes Won't Weaken Asian Deterrence -Wolfowitz
(Reuters, June 3, 2003) U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said that plans to realign American military forces in Asia should not be delayed because of regional unease over North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

China Hawk Settles in Neocons' Nest By Jim Lobe
(Foreign Policy In Focus, May 12, 2003) Neoconservative hawks have scored a new victory in the administration of President George W. Bush with the hiring by Vice President Richard Cheney of a prominent hawk on China policy.

Effects and Consequences of an Emerging China
(Hearing U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Mar. 19, 2003) Witnesses: Randall Schriver, Charles Freeman, Hilary B. Rosen, Larry Wortzel, and David M. Lampton.

Washington's Balancing Act in the Strait By Lin Chong-Pin
(Taipei Times, Jan 20, 2003) After the summer of 2002, two apparently conflicting trends emerged in US policy toward the Taiwan Strait. In fact, each side is half-correct.

US Relations With China, Taiwan Mark 2002 Improvement
(Central News Agency, Dec. 4, 2002) The rare phenomenon of a simultaneous strengthening in U.S.-Taiwan and U.S.-mainland Chinese relations has appeared in 2002, with the trend in cross-strait stability.

US-Taiwan Relations Still Evolving By Nat Bellocchi
(Taipei Times, Oct. 30, 2002) US President George W. Bush recently signed into law the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003. Taiwan got a share of it this time.

US Act of Congress Improves Relations By Edward Chen
(Taipei Times, Oct. 7, 2002) President George W. Bush on Sept. 30 signed into law the "Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003." This move has undoubtedly been as big a step forward for relations with the US as when Washington adjusted its Taiwan policy in 1994.

US Support for Taiwan Still Strong By Lin Cheng-yi
(Taipei Times, Sep. 19, 2002) The US does not want to be distracted by the Taiwan Strait issue while it is busy fighting terrorism. Bush administration's support for Taiwan's security has not changed following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Alliances for the Next Generation By Leon Fuerth
(Washington Post, August 23, 2002) Over time, Japanese experts see diminished American ability to maintain regional stability, and they fear that at the end of the road there may well be a Sino-American war, probably triggered by a clash over Taiwan.

Colin Powell - A Balancing Act
(Far Eastern Economic Review, Aug. 8, 2002) We have made it clear to them that even though we may undertake arms sales to Taiwan from time to time, those arms sales are for the purpose of making sure that the Taiwanese are able to defend themselves and are in no way an attempt to move away from our One China policy.

US Clarifies Taiwan Policy By Ching Cheong
(Straits Times, June 12, 2002) The United States appears to have made a subtle but meaningful adjustment to the formal expression of its Taiwan policy to avoid a potential clash with China.

Bush Developing Military Policy Of Striking First
(Washington Post, June 10, 2002) The Bush administration is developing a new strategic doctrine that moves away from the Cold War pillars of containment and deterrence toward a policy that supports preemptive attacks against terrorists and hostile states with chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.

Papers: Nixon Felt Closest to China
(Associated Press, May 7, 2002) “We speak to no other country as frankly and openly as we do to you,'' Kissinger tells Chinese leader Mao Tse-tung in February 1973, a year after Nixon's breakthrough visit to that country.

In Fact and in Tone, U.S. Expresses New Fondness for Taiwan By John Pomfret
(Washington Post, April 30, 2002) The Bush administration is embracing a closer political and military relationship with Taiwan than any U.S. government in decades as a way of endorsing democracy on the island and deterring a Chinese military threat across the Taiwan Strait.

US' 'One-China, Two Normalisations' Policy By Lee Siew Hua
(Straits Times, April 20, 2002) The administration is determined to stand by Taiwan, even as it sees the virtue of developing ties with a great power like China. So, the US military relationship with Taiwan may grow, and so, too, will the layers of American links with China.

This Is What It Takes By David Lague
(Far Eastern Economic Review, April 25, 2002) It’s unambiguous: "Strategic ambiguity" is dead. With the Pentagon pressing ahead with moves to boost ties and Taipei's firepower, the Bush administration is abandoning a long-standing policy on Taiwan and risking Beijing's consternation.

U.S. Priorities in Asia Transformed Since Sept 11 By Raju Gopalakrishnan
(Reuters, April 18, 2002) Analysts say the United States now has two overriding strategic objectives -- countering terrorism, mostly of the Islamic radical variety, and making sure China does not pose a threat in the future.

Toward Better US-Taiwan Relations By Nat Bellocchi
(Taipei Times, April 17, 2002) In the US-Taiwan relationship, we have a smorgasbord of policies that cause confusion on the one hand and permit flexibility on the other. But amending the TRA, as some suggest, would be unwise.

U.S. Uses 'Six Assurances' to Deter PRC Attacks
(Central News Agency, April 12, 2002) The Bush administration has been paying increased attention to Taiwan's security and has recently reiterated the "six assurances" aiming at deterring mainland China from attacking Taiwan militarily, a Japanese daily reported.

U.S. Nuclear Arms Stance Modified by Policy Study By Walter Pincus
(Washington Post, March 23, 2002) The Bush administration is working to codify the evolution of U.S. strategic nuclear doctrine from the Cold War policy of massive retaliation against the Soviet Union to a more flexible system that warns of a preemptive strike against hostile countries that threaten to use weapons of mass destruction.

Rattling New Sabers By John H. Cushman Jr.
(New York Times, March 10, 2002) Unlike the old strategic formula of mutual assured destruction, or MAD, in which nuclear superpowers deter each other into a détente, the Pentagon's new saber-rattling is meant to signal something different. That is a unilateral assured destruction.

Secret Plan Outlines the Unthinkable By William M. Arkin
(LA Times, March 10, 2002) China, because of its nuclear forces and "developing strategic objectives," is listed as "a country that could be involved in an immediate or potential contingency." Specifically, the NPR lists a military confrontation over the status of Taiwan as one of the scenarios that could lead Washington to use nuclear weapons.

U.S. Losing Focus on Asia Threat? By Jon Dougherty
(WorldNetDaily, Nov. 24, 2001) Some analysts believe the United States remains focused on its priorities and commitments in the Asia-Pacific region, but other experts say Washington's policymakers are missing the bigger picture where China is concerned.

The Brookings Project on Terrorism and American Foreign Policy
(Brookings Institution, 2001) The project will present an ongoing series of briefings on various aspects of the crisis, analytical publications ranging from short 2,000-word papers to full-length books, and a large and growing website containing background resources, full texts of relevant government documents.

US Rallying Allies for Joint Taiwan Defense
(Editorial, China Post, Aug. 21, 2001) The Taiwan Strait appears to be a place where war could break out at any time, at least in the minds of American strategic planners. This was the rationale of President George W. Bush's famous pledge of doing "whatever it takes" to defend Taiwan. Washington has been busy convincing its allies in the region to help it fulfill that pledge.

Democrats Step Up Foreign Policy Attack By Helen Dewar
(New York Times, Aug. 9, 2001) Senate Majority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.) will deliver a hard-hitting critique of President Bush's conduct of foreign policy today, part of an escalating effort by Democratic leaders to challenge Bush's handling of issues ranging from missile defenses to global warming.

U.S. Asian Policy Takes Shape By Ralph Cossa
(Japan Times, July 29, 2001) Slowly but surely, the Bush administration's Asia policy is taking shape. And, some changes in emphasis and approach notwithstanding, it shows a great deal of continuity with Clinton administration policy objectives.

U.S. Policy Toward Taiwan: Sustaining the Status Quo By Jacques deLisle
(Foreign Policy Research Institute, July 27, 2001) The first several months of the George W. Bush administration have underscored a simple but vexing truth about the United States' Taiwan policy: the basic goal is deceptively easy to state but crafting the means for achieving it is devilishly difficult.

Rumsfeld Affirms Asian Presence By Bill Gertz
(Washington Times, July 25, 2001) The United States needs to keep a strong military presence in Asia to deter any future threats from China, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said.

“Toe-to-Toe Over Taiwan”
(Newsweek, June 18, 2001) The commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific discusses Asia, missile defense—and why military exchanges with China should continue. "The current situation is that China can do a lot of damage to Taiwan but it can’t take it and hold it...

Going Too Far: Bush's Pledge to Defend Taiwan By Ted Galen Carpenter
(Cato Institute, May 30, 2001) President Bush was right to approve a robust package of arms sales to Taiwan. But that should be the extent of America's risk exposure. A security commitment creates the prospect of either a humiliating U.S. retreat during a crisis or a catastrophic war with a nuclear-armed China.

Timely Exit for Ambiguity By Richard Lugar
(Washington Times, May 17, 2001) President Bush struck the right balance in his recent announcement of arms sales to Taiwan. A few days later, in a television interview, he indicated it would be unthinkable for the United States to remain aloof if China attempted to subdue Taiwan by military force.

Pentagon Review Puts Emphasis on Long-Range Arms in Pacific By Michael R. Gordon
(NYT, May 17, 2001) A confidential Pentagon strategy review has cast the Pacific as the most important region for military planners and calls for the development of new long-range arms to counter China's military power.

Study: Shift Defense Focus to Taiwan
(Associated Press, May 15, 2001) The United States should expand its military presence on the Pacific island of Guam and consider asking Japan for permission to use its southernmost Ryukyu islands as a staging base in defense of Taiwan, a Pentagon-sponsored study says.

Not So Deft On Taiwan By Joseph R. Biden Jr.
(Washington Post, May 2, 2001) The United States has not been obligated to defend Taiwan since we abrogated the 1954 Mutual Defense Treaty signed by President Eisenhower and ratified by the Senate.

Ally Chastens Bush Over Taiwan Outburst By Chalmers Johnson
(LA Times, Apr. 29, 2001) President Bush's loose-lipped pledge to defend Taiwan has not only set back two decades of hard-earned progress in China-U.S. relations, but it also may have begun to unravel our ties with the other superpower of the Pacific, Japan.

A New Pacific Strategy: Washington is Evolving a Deterrence Theory for China By John Barry
(Newsweek, May 7, 2001) The main target of the new doctrine is Beijing, not Moscow. A core group of administration officials—led by Rusmfeld’s deputy Paul Wolfowitz—believes that now is the time to raise the American military profile in Asia while China is still too weak to respond.

At Last, Straight Talk on China By Robert Kagan
(Washington Post, Apr. 29, 2001) President Bush's promise to defend Taiwan against Chinese attack sent America's China-hand aristocracy into coughing fits last week. "The language on Taiwan is very arcane, very nuanced," said former ambassador Winston Lord, "and people are apt to make mistakes with it."

U.S. Taiwan Policy Hits New Level of Ambiguity By Steven Mufson
(Washington Post, Apr. 27, 2001) In just seconds, President Bush cast doubt on a policy that had been worked out over many years.

U.S. Human Rights Policy Toward China By Margaret Huang
(Foreign Policy in Focus, March 2001) For the last several decades, U.S. policy toward the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has consistently subordinated human rights concerns to geopolitical or economic interests.

Rumsfeld Outlines Defense Overhaul By Thomas E. Ricks
(Washington Post, Mar. 23, 2001) The Pacific Ocean is the most likely theater of major U.S. military operations, as China becomes more powerful and Russia less so.

The Blind Spot in US-Taiwan Policy By Lin Cheng-yi
(Taipei Times, Feb. 20, 2001) A blind spot in the US policy however, is that Taiwan's future must be jointly decided by the two sides of the Strait without the use of force or the imposition of the will of one side over the other side.