20150605美國國務院記者會：小英訪美

【Comment】

什麼都沒變，但輕鬆證實國務卿見過台灣官員。

CMarie Harf  Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications
Daily Press Briefing

Washington, DC
June 5, 2015

QUESTION: Change of subject. Yesterday, the Taiwanese DPP presidential candidate came to State Department to visit Deputy Secretary Blinken. D o you have any readout?  And because it didn’t happen before, does this mean that U.S. Government has adjust its policy guideline to interact with the Taiwanese Government or politician?

MS HARF: Well, we – our position has not changed.  We appreciate that Democratic Progressive Party chairwoman visited here.  We had constructive exchange on a wide range of issues with her.  Our policy has not changed.  From time to time, we do meet with Taiwanese officials; certainly the Secretary has, and others have as well.

QUESTION: But not in this building.  So --

MS HARF: I’m not sure that’s true, actually.  I’m happy to go back and check.

QUESTION: Okay. Please.

MS HARF: We do – we have met – I know that – before.  And I’m happy to check where those meetings took place.  But our position in no way has changed on Taiwan.

Yes.

QUESTION: A follow-up on that.  How do you respond to the Chinese Government’s call that the meeting is sending the wrong signal to Taiwan?

MS HARF: Well, again, our policy hasn’t changed.  We have developed a strong unofficial relationship with Taiwan.  This is based on the One China policy, the three joint communiques, the Taiwan Relations Act – things we’ve talked about for years and years and years now.  So really there’s been no change in our policy here.

QUESTION: Are you --

QUESTION: Is there --

MS HARF: Go ahead.

QUESTION: Are you confident of the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait in coming years?

MS HARF: Well, we certainly have an abiding interest in peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and that is certainly something we’ve encouraged both officials in Beijing and Taipei to continue their efforts that support cross-strait stability.

QUESTION: How would you characterize Chairman Tsai’s meeting here with the different officials?

MS HARF: Well, as I just said, we had a constructive exchange on a wide range of issues with her.

QUESTION: Marie, regardless of whether or not the policy has or hasn’t changed – and you say it hasn’t, so --

MS HARF: It hasn’t.

QUESTION: Exactly.  But you must’ve realized that having this kind of a meeting in this building was going to raise the ire of the Chinese, no?

MS HARF: Matt, I’m not sure I have much more to say on this.  We have an unofficial and a strong unofficial relationship with Taiwan and this is just part of that unofficial relationship.

QUESTION: I understand that, but you know how sensitive the Chinese are about this issue, which is why for decades the guidance on Taiwan always has the three communiques, the Taiwan Relations Act, and the One China policy --

MS HARF: And it will long after I’m gone from this podium, I’m sure.

QUESTION: -- which is – exactly, and which is why in every single meeting that you have – that the secretaries of state have with the Chinese, this goes – is gone through in rote form.  That said – given that, wasn’t there any kind of an awareness that a meeting with a Taiwanese official in this building was going to cause some angst?

MS HARF: I’m not sure this – we see this as different from other meetings we’ve had with Taiwanese officials in this unofficial relationship we have, so I’m happy to check and see if there’s more to say on this.

QUESTION: Put it a slightly different way: There’s nothing in the communiques or the other documents that were just referenced here that prevent the United States from conducting meetings in this building or elsewhere with Taiwanese officials, correct?

MS HARF: No, correct.  That is correct.  And we’ve done so for a long time.

Said, yes.

QUESTION: Can we move to another topic?  Today marks the 48th anniversary --

MS HARF: I think there’s – hold on. One more.

QUESTION: Right. Marie, in your recollection, when is the last time a Taiwanese official or a presidential hopeful was meeting with the State Department official at this building?

MS HARF: At this building?  I’m happy to check.  I know we’ve had many meetings with Taiwanese officials in a variety of places that we’ve talked about publicly.  I’m happy to check on that.

Said.

QUESTION: I have --

QUESTION: Did she meet --

MS HARF: I think we’re going to move on.  I don’t have much more to say.

QUESTION: The same question.  Same question.

MS HARF: Okay. Yeah. I --

QUESTION: So did she meet with the Deputy Secretary Antony Blinken yesterday?

MS HARF: I’m not going to confirm the details of her meetings here.

Yes.

QUESTION: Marie, just – I realize this is harping on this, but it’s --

MS HARF: Why would the last day be any different?

QUESTION: Exactly. But I mean, look --

QUESTION: You did start on time. That suggested --

MS HARF: I know.

QUESTION: -- redemption for all sinners, so --

MS HARF: Aren’t you proud of me today? (Laughter.) I was actually ready like five minutes early. I was just hanging out back there.

QUESTION: Punctuality. The Chinese get upset when you meet – when the President meets with the Dalai Lama as well, and you know, and you expect them to get angry about it and you’re willing to take that hit.  So my question is simply the same as what I asked before, which is that what – were you aware that this was going to cause consternation in Beijing?  And if you could take the question or have someone look into it --

MS HARF: Yeah, okay.

QUESTION: -- that would be great. Thank you.

MS HARF: I’m not sure I’ll have much more to say on that.  I’m just going to take a lot of questions today for Jeff on Monday.