Assistant US Secretary of State Daniel Russel has said that the US takes its commitment to Taiwan seriously. Russel is the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. He was speaking at a forum organized by the Brookings Institution.
Asked if a proposed arms sale to Taiwan could impact US-China military exchanges, Russel said that US policy is based on the Three Communiques, the one China policy and the Taiwan Relations Act. That act defines the US commitment to help Taiwan defend itself. Russel said that the US takes its commitment seriously and will continue to fulfill its obligations to Taiwan.
He also said that the US is happy to see the progress that Taiwan and China have achieved through five years of dialogue. He said that the purpose of US policy is to aid cross-strait and regional security.
Russel said that talks between the US and China are important to help avoid misunderstandings. He said that he is confident the US and China will continue with further dialogue and military cooperation.