Maddie Halwit is appalled
Posted on 03/14/2005 2:40:18 AM PST by CarrotAndStick
Acknowledging that China is a rising influence, the United States has said that it will try to counter it by strengthening regional alliances. "China is clearly a rising influence - I mean, there is no doubt about that - economically, politically, in terms of its sort of global interests," US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said.
"But it has to be managed a couple of ways. First of all, it's very important to be clear about American policies and American interests in the region and that means being very clear about policy, for instance, on Taiwan, where we've had and continue to have a 'one China' policy where we are the kind of upright anchor.
No threat to US, says China
"Where we don't expect either side to try to exploit the situation or to provoke the other side, where we've been very clear to the Chinese that we have obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act," she told The Washington Times and Sunday talk shows on television networks.
"And therefore, when I went to China, I said, you know, the arms sales are a matter of record and we've already agreed to do that. You know, we'll see when Taiwan is capable of actually paying for them, but we are, in fact -- I've said that clearly. So the first thing is to be clear about what our policy is.
US foreign policy outdated, irrational'
"The second is to be active in making certain that our alliances in the region are as strong as possible. That means with South Korea and I think we've actually strengthened that alliance by what Don Rumsfeld and his folks worked out... I think that alliance is in better shape now than it's been in a long - may be ever," Rice said.
"The third is that you have to recognize that China is going to be an influence and so to try to steer that influence into positive directions, not negative ones.
Huge hike in China defence budget
"We were proponents of Chinese accession to the WTO because in a rules-based system it's better to have a big economy in a rules-based system than not. But that means on something like intellectual property rights, that my now-Deputy, but then-USTR, Bob Zoellick, was just constant about the problem that the Chinese were causing on intellectual property rights.
"The President is determined to have a level playing field. But it's a positive place for China to exercise influence through the WTO. When we go to regional fora we're pretty clear that regional fora that ought to be held are ones in which we are also an actor, not just China.
"So we have a lot of levers to deal with this and, of course, the American military is going to keep modernizing so that the Chinese should never get the idea that they're going to be able to have a unilateral advantage somehow in the Asia-Pacific region," she said.
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Make that "Halfwit"
You know, maybe she could run against Hillary, you know.
So basically, Rice's plan is "reunification" of Taiwan with China to make the two into one country. And China had best not try any monkey business until we declare all to be well and turn our backs on Taiwan. Or maybe the plan is to spend many billions every year from now on to keep carrier groups near the Strait.
The anti-defense trade interests who claim to be conservative while praising China's form of government and pushing for that situation know what they can do with themselves.
They aren't "locked" into anything, rather, our own policy options are constrained, and they are then in a position to game and subvert the 'system'. As they are doing with some success...completely undermining the basis for the 'system'. We will be forced back to bilateralism relatively soon, as the WTO has been more or less been completely coopted by blocs antagonistic to the U.S.
Regardless of what you think of US/PRC/TW policy, this is one very poorly written and confusing article.
Actually, what confused you were the numerous hyperlinks that were present in between paragraphs, in the original article, but got converted to plain text when I copy-pasted it here. Try reading it from the original source. It may help you.
Madame Halfwit? I thought it was Jiminy Glick.
If Halfwit was negotiating the US military would be used to fight our own troops over Taiwan.
WHY does Taiwan have to remain part of China?
Everyone assumes it must reunify.
Why?
"this non-existent government"
Not recognizing their government on Taiwan does not mean it does not exist. It does exist and we do quite a volume of trade with them and we have numerous trade and treaty relationships with them.
"Everyone assumes it must reunify"
We do not push for reunification.
We say there is only one China, so that Taiwan will not declare independence and catapult the Red Commies into a massive assault on Taiwan.
We further say there is a recognized dispute between Taiwan and the Mainland, and that they must TALK and resolve the dispute PEACEFULLY, NOT BY WAR.
As little as we like it, that nevertheless is the status quo, NOT a push to bring Taiwan under the Mainland's boot.
I know it exists. I was making fun of the contradiction in US policy.
Thank you, Mr. Clinton. Oh, and by the way, any hopes you had for a decent legacy are TOAST!
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