- WASHINGTON (CNN) -- China's
growing military and its threat to Taiwan will be primary topics of conversation
when foreign and defense ministers from the United States and Japan meet
Saturday, State Department officials said.
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- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of
Defense Donald Rumsfeld will hold talks with their Japanese counterparts
at the State Department as part of a regular formal dialogue on the U.S.-Japan
Security Alliance, a cornerstone of U.S. national security interests in
East Asia.
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- The Washington Post reported in Friday's editions that
Saturday's discussions will include a focus on Taiwan as a new security
concern. The paper also suggested a communiqué issued after the
talks would call for Japan to take a greater role in coordination with
U.S. forces in Asia.
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- The talks come as the United States considers how to
realign the nearly 50,000 U.S. forces in Japan.
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- State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters
Friday afternoon that any discussions about Taiwan or about a greater role
for Japan would be "within the scope" of the two nations' mutual
security treaty.
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- "We and Japan are allies," Boucher said. "When
there are tensions in some parts of Asia -- whether it's North Korea, the
Taiwan Strait or some other part of Asia -- we talk to Japan about it."
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- China views Taiwan as a renegade province that must be
united with the mainland, by force if necessary.
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- Although U.S. policy recognizes Taiwan as part of China,
the Bush administration has been increasingly concerned about China's threat
to use force against Taiwan, should it move toward independence.
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- The United States does not have formal diplomatic relations
with Taiwan, but has pledged to protect it and provide arms sales through
the Taiwan Relations Act.
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- Rice said Friday that "the cross-strait issue is
an issue of concern in the Asia Pacific" and that stability in the
region depends on a peaceful resolution of the Taiwan issue.
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- "We have cautioned all parties that there should
be no attempt to change the status quo unilaterally," she said. "That
means no attempt by China to change the status quo unilaterally, no attempt
by Taiwan to change the status quo unilaterally."
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- A senior State Department official said that while the
United States has consistently talked with Japan about the tension across
the Taiwan Strait, "we are going to note this in public this time
because we want others to know that we are both concerned about it."
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- Officials have also warned about China's aggressive military
buildup. On Wednesday, CIA Director Porter Goss told the Senate Select
Committee on Intelligence that China's military buildup not only tilts
the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait, it threatens U.S. forces in
the region. (<http://www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/02/17/goss.china.reut/index.html>Full
story)
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- Boucher said that China's emerging military and economic
power in Asia is seen as positive -- for example, in the World Trade Organization
and in the U.N. Security Council.
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- He said there are areas of concern, such as China's threats
against Taiwan and Beijing's export of missile technology.
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- "We support the emergence of China in the region
and on the world stage in many areas, as it's doing," Boucher said.
But he added, "we also expect China to play by the rules, to adopt
the various standards of conduct that other responsible international players
use."
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- The senior State Department official said that while
China's main goal of expanding its military might is to intimidate Taiwan,
it is also trying to demonstrate its power in the region and operating
in areas where the United States has operations, "which is not a good
thing."
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- The official added that Japan is concerned about moves
by China, such as a recent incursion into Japanese waters by a Chinese
submarine.
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- Saturday's talks will also include the North Korean nuclear
issue. The United States is working with Japan, China and Russia to persuade
North Korea to return to six-party talks aimed at ending its nuclear program.
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- http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/02/19/us.japan/index.html
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