U.S. arms sales to Taiwan justified, declassified Reagan memo reveals

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/09/18
By: Elaine Hou and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Sept. 18 (CNA) A recently declassified White House document published by the American

Institute in Taiwan (AIT) provides evidence that American arms sales to Taiwan do not flout the terms of a joint communique issued by the United States and China in August 1982, despite Beijing's strong protest against such deals.

The declassified memo, dated Aug. 17, 1982, was sent by then U.S. President Ronald Reagan to his Secretary of State George P. Shultz and Defense Minister Caspar Weinberger, detailing the president's interpretation of the communiqué, which was signed the same day.

In the memo, Reagan said he had agreed to "the issuance of a joint communique with the People's Republic of China (PRC) in which we express United States policy toward the matter of continuing arms sales to Taiwan.

"The talks leading up to the signing of the communique were premised on the clear understanding that any reduction of such arms sales depends upon peace in the Taiwan Straits and the continuity of China's declared 'fundamental policy' of seeking a peaceful resolution of the Taiwan issue," according to the memo, which was published on the AIT website.    [FULL  STORY]