China Angry Over Taiwan Vow

W A S H I N G T O N, April 26, 2001 -- China today issued a harsh rebuttal to President Bush's promise of military support for Taiwan, accusing him of violating his commitment to Beijing.

"There is only one China in the world. Taiwan is part of China. It is not a protectorate of any foreign country," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue told a news conference.

"The Chinese government and people are strongly indignant and opposed" to Bush's comments, Zhang said.

Calling Bush's comments "mistaken remarks," Zhang also noted his unprecedented support for Taiwan came on the heels of a Pentagon offer of arms to Taiwan.

"This shows that it has drifted further on a dangerous road," Zhang said, referring to the United States.

Serious and Resolute

In an interview taped Tuesday but aired Wednesday on ABCNEWS' Good Morning America, Bush said the United States would do "whatever it took" to defend Taiwan if it were ever attacked by China.

Clearly sensing there would be some fallout in China after what is believed to be the strongest and most direct statement of support for Taiwan by a U.S. president, top White House officials have insisted Bush's remarks were not a departure in policy.

National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said the Taiwan Relations Act made clear the United States has an obligation to maintain the island's peaceful way of life.

Rice said Bush's comments show how seriously and resolutely he takes this obligation. Rice added that a secure Taiwan would be in a better position to engage in a dialogue with Beijing.

A senior administration official traveling with the president in Arkansas said the Chinese military buildup made it even more important for the president to make a clear statement about his intention to defend Taiwan.

State Department spokesman Philip Reeker told reporters there was no change in change in U.S. policy toward Taiwan.

"We expect any dispute to be resolved peacefully. The president's said that. We expect, hope, believe that peaceful resolutions are possible. He said that the Chinese have to hear that we'll uphold the spirit of the Taiwan Relations Act," Reeker said

Full Force of the U.S. Military?

In the Good Morning America interview, Bush was asked if the United States had an obligation to defend Taiwan.

"Yes, we do, and the Chinese must understand that," he said.

Asked if his commitment would be backed up with the full force of the U.S. military, Bush replied: "Whatever it took to help Taiwan defend herself."

However, in later interviews with CNN and The Associated Press on Wednesday, Bush softened his stance, saying military force is "certainly an option" if China were to invade Taiwan.

He also reiterated Washington's commitment to the one-China policy, and did not say the use of U.S. military force would be considered if Taiwan were to declare independence.

"A declaration of independence is not the one-China policy, and we will work with Taiwan to make sure that that doesn't happen," he told CNN. "We need a peaceful resolution of this issue."

The comments follow the administration's notice to the Taiwanese government that it could buy new military hardware — but not the U.S. Navy's most advanced radar technology — to fend off a potential threat from China.

The potential sale is being viewed as a strong commitment by Bush to Taiwan, which China has long viewed as a renegade province.

Most Direct Statement From U.S. President

Bush's comments appear to mark a significant change in policy regarding U.S. rhetoric on the Taiwan issue.

Under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, Washington is pledged to provide Taiwan with "such defense articles and defense services ... as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability." But a U.S. president has never articulated that the United States would actually undertake military action, as opposed to arming Taiwan to defend itself.

Joseph Cirincione, director of the Non-Proliferation Project at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, said, "I don't think any American president has ever committed carte blanche like that before."

The change in tone has drawn some fire. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., took the president to task for not adhering to "strategic ambiguity" in his comments on Taiwan.

"We have been deliberately vague about the circumstances under which we would come to Taiwan's defense, not only to discourage Taiwan from drawing us in by declaring independence but also to deter a Chinese attack by keeping Beijing guessing," he said Wednesday on the Senate floor.

China has expressed its opposition to the Bush administration's offer to Taiwan of destroyers, submarines, anti-sub planes and other advanced weapons.

But under the terms of the offer, Taiwan will not get destroyers equipped with the advanced Aegis radar system, at least for now.

Fearing an invasion from mainland China, the Taiwanese government has been asking for the most high-powered new destroyers and radar gear. While the $1 billion Aegis-equipped ships will not be in Taiwan's shopping cart this year, the White House is signaling that if China further increases its saber rattling toward Taiwan, the situation could change.

The U.S. will also sell Taiwan aircraft survivability equipment, and give Taiwan a technical briefing onthe Patriot anti-missile system the island has been developing.

ABCNEWS' Ann Compton, Vic Ratner and Tamara Lipper and ABCNEWS.com's David Ruppe contributed to this report.