A Strong and Moderate Taiwan
Thomas J. Christensen, Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
Speech to U.S.-Taiwan Business Council
Defense Industry Conference, Annapolis, Maryland
September 11, 2007
Vice Minister Ko Cheng-heng, Dr. Su Chi, Rupert, other distinguished guests, I am delighted to be able to speak today at this important event. Many thanks to all of you for being here – especially our friends from Taiwan, who have taken time from busy schedules and traveled so far. I would also like to thank the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council, which has established this conference as the premier annual venue for discussing Taiwan’s security. As the State Department’s representative, I will touch on broad issues in Taiwan security in my remarks this morning, leaving detailed questions of defense strategy and arms procurement to the military experts. My remarks represent the agreed views of the United States Government. I invite you to consider my comments in that light.
副部長承亨，蘇起博士，韓會長儒柏，各位貴賓，很高興今天能在這麼重要的場合演講。十分感謝各位到場，特別是來自台灣的朋友，他們遠道而來，而且從百忙之中撥冗出席。同時我也要感謝美台商會，商會使這個會議成為討論台灣安全問題的首要場合。身為國務院代表，我今早的演說只會提到有關台灣安全的概略性問題，防衛策略和軍購方面的細節問題，則留給軍事專家去談。我所說的代表美國政府一致的看法，希望各位以這種觀點來看待我的談話。
This conference is timely. In the year ahead, we will again celebrate Taiwan’s democracy, and we will also closely follow how Taiwan’s leaders navigate the often difficult circumstances in relations across the Taiwan Strait. Their actions will be a major factor in determining whether the interests of their people are protected; whether Taiwan will continue to flourish in an environment of peace and security; or whether all that Taiwan has achieved might be put at risk by cross-Strait tensions or, worse still, conflict.
這次會議正得其時，來年我們將再度慶祝台灣的民主，我們也會密切注意台灣領導人在台灣海峽兩岸艱難的情況中如何領航，他們的行動將是重要的決定因素，攸關 台灣人民利益得到保護、台灣是否能夠繼續在和平與安全的環境下繁榮、以及台灣一切成就是否可能在兩岸緊張、甚至衝突的情況下遭到危險。
For reasons that I will elaborate in a moment, the United States has an abiding interest in a stable and peaceful relationship across the Taiwan Strait in which Taiwan thrives. Anything that makes Taiwan stronger and safer is good for the United States, and, for obvious reasons, is also good for the people of Taiwan. Anything that places such peace and stability at risk runs directly against the interests of the United States. For these reasons, we look to Taiwan to adopt strategies toward cross-Strait relations that combine strength – both military and economic – with moderation. When we see policies that diverge from these goals, we owe it to ourselves and to the Taiwan people to speak out.
基於我即將闡述的理由，台海兩岸之間穩定而和平的關係，關乎美國的長期利益。任何能令台灣更強壯、安全的事情都對美國有利，不用說當然更對台灣有利。而任 何置和平與穩定於險境的事情，直接違反美國的利益。因此之故，我們期待台灣對兩岸關係採取結合力量和穩健的策略。當我們看到偏離這些目標的政策時，我們覺得我們自己和台灣人民都應該說出來。
