Taiwan

choi

I will not be able to post tomorrow -- Sunday, Nov 11. Brookline public library will observe Veterans Day tomorrow, although federal holiday will be Nov 12 (Monday). Brookline library usually open half a day Sunday afternoon.

choi

(1) 钟辰芳, 美中对话提台湾：一中政策与一中原则的较劲. VOA Chinese, Nov 10, 2018.
https://www.voachinese.com/a/us- ... 181109/4652701.html

Two consecutive paragraphs:

"蓬佩奥答复说，美国对台湾的政策没有改变，特朗普政府自上任以来即遵循 '一个中国政策' 及三个联合公报。他说：'我们采取的每一个举措都符合那项政策。我们也将持续采取符合这个政策的作为、遵守我们的承诺。那是美国长期以来的承诺。'

"虽然蓬佩奥没有提到《台湾关系法》，不过美国国务院在傍晚发出关于美中外交安全对话的声明中说，美国在会谈中确认 '美国基于台湾关系法及三个联合公报的一个中国政策' 的承诺，美国呼吁中国恢复台海稳定，尊重台湾的国际空间。美国 '反对任一方旨在改变现状的单方面作为，包括任何武力或胁迫。'

(2) The above report is based on

Press Availability With Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Chinese Politburo Member Yang Jiechi, and Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe. US Department of State, Nov 9, 2018.
https://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2018/11/287279.htm

Quote:

(a) "SECRETARY POMPEO: Good afternoon, everyone. Secretary Mattis and I are pleased to welcome Director Yang and Minister Wei to the State Department for the second U.S.-China Diplomatic & Security Dialogue. Welcome.

(b) SECRETARY POMPEO: "Regarding our strong ties with a democratic Taiwan, I reiterated the U.S. policy has not changed and that we are concerned about China’s increasing efforts to coerce others, constraining Taiwan’s international space. And finally, I stated the United States and the international communities will continue to express our concerns with respect to China’s repression of religious groups – Christian, Buddhists, and 800,000 to possibly millions of Muslims that have been denied their freedoms.

(c) "POLITBURO MEMBER YANG: (Via interpreter) * * * The Chinese side highlights that China is firmly resolved to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The “one China” principle is the political foundation for China-U.S. relations. Taiwan independent forces and their separatist activities pose the biggest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. The US should recognize it clearly. We urge the United States to abide by the 'one China' principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques and cautiously handle Taiwan-related matters.

(d) QUESTION: " * * * Mr Secretary [Pompeo], how were Uighur and Taiwan issues being discussed during your meeting with the Chinese counterparts? What is the U.S. asking for? Is strengthening U.S.-China – is strengthening U.S.-Taiwan ties an irritant in US-China relations?

"SECRETARY POMPEO: Your question to me was with respect to Taiwan and the issue with the Uighur population. The U.S. policy has not changed since this administration took office with respect to Taiwan; we honor the “one China” policy and the three communiques. Every action that we have taken is consistent with that, and we will continue to take actions that are consistent with honoring that commitment that is a longstanding United States commitment.

"And the United States is also unequivocal when it comes to human rights. We ask every country, China included – we have discussions to make sure that they treat the people of their nations with the respect and dignity that every human being is entitled to. And when it comes to religious minorities in China, we had a conversation about how it is that we hope the Chinese will treat their religious minorities and our concerns with respect to that. It was a good conversation and one that is important to each of our two countries, I know.

"POLITBURO MEMBER YANG: * * * Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. On the basis of the 'one China' principle. China has established diplomatic relations with over 170 countries. We will continue to remain committed to the 'one China' principle that bears on China's sovereignty and dignity, its security and territorial integrity. That is an issue of principle. Matters related to Xinjiang are China's internal affairs. Foreign countries have no right to interfere. * * *

"STATE COUNCILOR WEI: Well, Taiwan is an inseparable part from China. This is a position repeated by Director Yang. To achieve reunification is a mission for our party and country. In the oath of allegiance to the U.S., there is this sentence saying this is a nation under the God, indivisible. So it is the same with Taiwan. It is an inalienable part of China. So if there – it's – this territorial integrity is under threat, we will do it at any cost just like what the US side had in Civil War.

choi

(1) Special Briefing on Iran Sanctions by Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo and Secretary of the Treasury Steven T Mnuchin via Teleconference. US De[artment of State, Nov 2, 2018.
https://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2018/11/287090.htm

(a) SECRETARY POMPEO: " * * * We expect to issue some temporary allotments to eight jurisdictions, but only because they have demonstrated significant reductions in their crude oil and cooperation on many other fronts and have made important moves towards getting to zero crude oil importation.

(b) QUESTION: " * * * you pointedly said that you were granting the exceptions to eight jurisdictions. Is one of those jurisdictions the European Union, thereby covering a much larger group of countries, i.. 28 EU member-states?

"SECRETARY POMPEO: * * * we will provide the list of the eight jurisdictions on Monday. The EU will not be receiving an SRE [Significant Reduction Exemptions wavers].

Note: Taiwan was not mentioned. Mnuchin did not use the word jurisdiction -- only questioners and Pompeo did.

(2) Press Release, Press Availability With Secretary of Treasury Steven T Mnuchin. US Department of State, Nov 5, 2018.
https://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2018/11/287132.htm

Quote:

"MODERATOR: Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Foreign Press Center. We are pleased to have with us this morning Secretary Pompeo and Secretary Mnuchin. * * *

"SECRETARY POMPEO: * * * More than 20 importing nations have zeroed out their imports of crude oil already, taking more than one million barrels of crude per day off the market. The regime today, since May, has lost over $2.5 billion in oil revenue. We have decided to issue temporary allotments to a handful of countries responsible to specific circumstances and to ensure a well-supplied oil market. The US will be granting these exemptions to China, India, Italy, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey. Each of those countries has already demonstrated significant reductions of the purchase of Iranian crude over the past six months, and indeed two of those eight have already completely ended imports of Iranian crude and will not resume as long as the sanctions regime remains in place. We continue negotiations to get all of the nations to zero.

(3) Department Press Briefing. US Department of State, Nov 7, 2018.
https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2018/11/287201.htm

Quote:

(a) Robert Palladino, Deputy Spokesperson: "Welcome, everyone. Thanks for coming. We’re going to start at the top today with our Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook [of Dept of State]. He has some opening remarks, then he’d be happy to take a few questions from you all.

(b)  9 consecutive paragraphs:

"QUESTION: Okay. And then just one other thing. I wanted to go back to a question I asked you on Friday [Nov 2 I guess; it could not be Nov 9 -- 2 days after this briefing; circumstances of 'asking' unclear] --

"MR HOOK: Yeah.

"QUESTION: -- and this is the – it's going to sound awfully nerdy and technical, but I just want to make sure that – so I asked why Treasury Secretary Mnuchin used the word 'jurisdictions' and not 'countries,' and I said – suggested it might be because Taiwan would be one of the countries getting an exemption and you said no, I get it, nations. And then the Secretary [of state], when he made his announcement on Monday [see (2) above], included Taiwan as among the eight countries --

"MR HOOK: Right.

"QUESTION: -- he specifically said. Does this mean that at least the two of you, Brian Hook and Secretary Pompeo, regard Taiwan as a country? Or is this just kind of the slip of the tongue? Have you heard from the Chinese about it?

"MR HOOK: No. Our policy has not changed. The United States remains committed to the US 'one China' policy, the three joint communiques, and our responsibilities under the Taiwan Relations Act.

"QUESTION: So why call it a country and court the ire of the Chinese?

"MR HOOK: The SRE that we have granted to Taiwan is relevant to Taiwan's economy, and anything else you may have heard, whatever you've interpreted, nothing has changed on our policy.

"QUESTION: Okay, thank you.