Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/07/10
By: Chiang Chin-yej and Flor Wang

Department of State spokesperson Morgan Ortagus / Image taken from U.S. Department of State

website (state.gov)

Washington, July 9 (CNA) A recent arms sale package to Taipei approved by Washington was made based on United States law and intended to help boost Taiwan's self-defense capabilities, Department of State spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said Tuesday.

"Well, I think everybody here in this room, especially all of you from our — from the Asian bureaus, are aware of the Taiwan Relations Act. The State Department did notify on the arms sale today," Ortagus told a routine news conference.

"Our interest in Taiwan, especially as it relates to these military sales, is to promote peace and stability across the straits, across the region. And so our — there's no change, of course, in our longstanding 'one China' policy. That's based on the Three Joint Communiques, the Taiwan Relations Act."

"So I don't see our notification here as anything other than complying with the Taiwan Relations Act. The law specifically, of course, requires these sorts of — requires us to help Taiwan maintain their defense, self-sufficient defense capabilities. But our 'one China' policy remains the same, and so there's no new policy announcements for today," she added.    [FULL  STORY]