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Updated Thursday, July 22, 2010 1:08 pm TWN, By Dennis V. Hickey

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U.S. dislike for ECFA is a myth

So, one might well wonder where the U.S. stands on the ECFA agreement signed by Taipei and Beijing on June 29. During the negotiating process, American officials preferred to remain quiet. They explained that, while the inking of a trade pact between the two sides would benefit American commercial interests, the US did not want to interfere in Taiwan's domestic politics. After the agreement was signed, however, William Stanton, Director of the AIT in Taipei, declared, “we welcome the kind of interaction between Taiwan and the mainland that leads to an agreement like this which can contribute to peace, stability and prosperity in the region. We're encouraged by this development.”

Washington welcomes the growing rapprochement between Taipei and Beijing. However, U.S. officials emphasize that this does not mean that Washington will change its relationship with Taipei. For example, the U.S. has no plans to reduce its defense commitments and will move forward with plans to sell the island US$6.4 billion in arms. As Robert Gates, U.S. Secretary of Defense, explained, “we strongly encourage the cross-strait improvement in relations and perhaps a time will come when this issue will go away because of those improved relations, but we will maintain our obligations” under the Taiwan Relations Act.

Moreover, the U.S. will continue to support Taiwan's membership in international organizations that do not require statehood, and support its meaningful participation as an “observer” or “non-state actor” in those institutions that require statehood. As William Stanton, explained, Washington supports Taipei's bid to participate in the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, the International Civil Aviation Organization and “participation in these and similar organizations, and will do what we can to help that happen.”

In sum, officials at the highest levels of the U.S. government have stressed repeatedly that reconciliation between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait serves American interests in a myriad of ways. As David B. Shear, deputy assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, observed recently, “continued progress in cross-strait relations is critically important to the security and prosperity of the entire region and is therefore a vital national interest of the United States.” This helps explain why the new National Security Policy of the United States proclaims that “we will continue to encourage continued reduction in tension” between Beijing and Taipei.

Dennis V. Hickey is the Director of the Graduate Program in Global Studies at Missouri State University and the James F. Morris Endowed Professor of Political Science.

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