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One-China policy reiterated
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US Secretary of State-nominee Colin Powell on Wednesday reiterated the one-China policy, saying that the new government is working for a constructive relationship with China.
“The United States has long acknowledged the view that there is only one China. In that respect, Taiwan is part of China," Powell said in a prepared opening statement at a Senate confirmation hearing.
China is not a US enemy -- but is a potential rival rather than a partner, he said. "We will treat China as she merits. A strategic partner, China is not. But neither is China our inevitable and implaccable foe."
Powell suggested in his statement that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) should be free to decide whether it would further expand eastward despite possible objections by Russia.
“Our relations with Russia must not be dictated by any fear on our part," Powell said. “If we believe the enlargement of Nato should continue -- and we do believe that -- we should not fear that Russia will object."
On the controversial missile defence programme, Powell said the United States should continue to move ahead “as aggressively as possible" to develop a missile defence system although a decision on whether to deploy it or not could be made later.
“President-elect Bush has made it quite clear that he is committed to deploying an effective ballistic missile defence using the best technology available at the earliest date possible," he said.
He said the Bush Administration considers the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty “probably no longer relevant to our new strategic framework" and is prepared “to persuade the Russians of the need to move beyond the ABM Treaty.
On the Middle East, Powell said the Bush Administration will treat the region as a whole while continuing its efforts to seek a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Talking about Iraq, Powell vowed to tighten sanctions against the country despite an increasing international appeal for lifting the embargo imposed a decade ago.
As to the Korean peninsula, Powell said the new administration will review overall US policy on the peninsula, while taking into account what has been done by the Clinton Administration.
Powell, born in New York City on April 5, 1937, had been a professional soldier for 35 years. He was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1, 1989 until his retirement on September 30, 1993 under both presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton. He had served earlier as national security advisor to President Ronald Reagan.(SD-Xinhua)
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