US seeks normal trade ties with China despite Taiwan issue

US seeks normal trade ties with China despite Taiwan issue
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

WASHINGTON, MARCH 3: United States wants to forge permanent Normal Trade Relations (NTR) with China but continue its military support to Taiwan, which is now facing threat of use of force by Beijing for "delaying" its unification with the mainland, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has said.

On Thursday, Albright asked the Senate Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary to "separate out what it is we are trying to do with China".

Seeking Congress approval of NTR with China, she said "We believe that it is important to engage with them, even though we disagree on a whole host of issues."

"They (China) are a major power, not only in the region, but increasingly globally. And it is essential that we carry on... a multi-faceted relationship with them," she said.

For economic reasons, she said the US believes that a permanent NTR is important. "They have access to our markets, we want to have access to theirs. And we think that the WTO deal that was negotiated very painstakingly is good for US exports...," Albright said.

Asked by Senator Pete Domenici if the new formulation in China's White Paper threatening to use force against Taiwan was different from earlier Chinese positions, she said: "It is difficult to determine why they did this at this time. But we see their statement as counter-productive."

"We have pressed them on the idea that the resolution of this has to be peaceful," Albright said.

However, she said the US had obligations to provide arms sufficient for the defence of Taipei. "We will obviously continue to carry those out," she said.