Six Assurances

The Six Assurances are guidelines used in conducting relations between the United States of America and Taiwan. They were proposed in 1982 by the then KMT government of the Republic of China on Taiwan during negotiations between the U.S. and the People's Republic of China. The U.S. Reagan administration agreed to these points and informed the United States Congress of this in July 1982. These guidelines have been reaffirmed by each successive U.S. administration.

Text

There are two versions of the Six Assurances. In the first version, which was introduced to Congress by Rep. Steve Chabot on October 28, 2015,[1] the Six Assurances were:

  1. The United States would not set a date for termination of arms sales to Taiwan;[1]
  2. The United States would not alter the terms of the Taiwan Relations Act;[1]
  3. The United States would not consult with China in advance before making decisions about United States arms sales to Taiwan;[1]
  4. The United States would not mediate between Taiwan and China;[1]
  5. The United States would not alter its position about the sovereignty of Taiwan which was, that the question was one to be decided peacefully by the Chinese themselves, and would not pressure Taiwan to enter into negotiations with China;[1] and
  6. The United States would not formally recognize Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan.[1]

Later in the version engrossed by the Congress on May 16, 2016, several changes were made to the original version of the Six Assurances:[2]

  1. “* * * [W]e did not agree to set a date certain for ending arms sales to Taiwan”;[2]
  2. “* * * [W]e see no mediation role for the United States” between Taiwan and the PRC;[2]
  3. “* * *[N]or will we attempt to exert pressure on Taiwan to enter into negotiations with the PRC”;[2]
  4. “* * * [T]here has been no change in our longstanding position on the issue of sovereignty over Taiwan”;[2]
  5. “We have no plans to seek” revisions to the Taiwan Relations Act;[2] and
  6. the August 17 Communiqué, “should not be read to imply that we have agreed to engage in prior consultations with Beijing on arms sales to Taiwan”.[2]

Reaffirmation

The State Department has reaffirmed the Six Assurances repeatedly.[3]

On May 19, 2016, one day before Dr. Tsai Ing-wen assumed the Presidency of the Republic of China, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and Bob Menendez (D-NJ), former chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and co-chair of the Senate Taiwan Caucus, introduced a concurrent resolution reaffirming the Taiwan Relations Act and the “Six Assurances” as cornerstones of United States–Taiwan relations.[4][5][6]

The 2016 Republican National Convention in the Republican Party Platform states "Our relations will continue to be based upon the provisions of the Taiwan Relations Act, and we affirm the Six Assurances given to Taiwan in 1982 by President Reagan. We oppose any unilateral steps by either side to alter the status quo in the Taiwan Straits on the principle that all issues regarding the island’s future must be resolved peacefully, through dialogue, and be agreeable to the people of Taiwan. If China were to violate those principles, the United States, in accord with the Taiwan Relations Act, will help Taiwan defend itself... As a loyal friend of America, Taiwan has merited our strong support, including free trade agreement status, the timely sale of defensive arms including technology to build diesel submarines..."[7]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "H.Con.Res.88 - Reaffirming the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances as the cornerstone of United States-Taiwan relations". October 28, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "H.Con.Res.88 - Reaffirming the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances as cornerstones of United States-Taiwan relations.". congress.gov. May 16, 2016. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  3. ↑ U.S.-Taiwan Relations, U.S. Department of State, February 14, 2003
  4. ↑ Menendez, Rubio: "Six Assurances" Continued Foundation of U.S.-Taiwan Relations, Senator Bob Menendez, May 19, 2016
  5. ↑ Rubio, Menendez: ‘Six Assurances’ Continued Foundation Of U.S.-Taiwan Relations, Senator Marco Rubio, May 19, 2016
  6. ↑ S.Con.Res.38 - A concurrent resolution reaffirming the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances as cornerstones of United States-Taiwan relations., Congress.gov, May 19, 2016
  7. ↑ The 2016 Republican Party Platform, Republican National Committee, July 18, 2016

External links

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