Transcript: Defense Secretary Cohen CNN Interview in Hong Kong
(Cohen: Taiwan's Aegis destroyers request under review)The United States is reviewing Taiwan's request for top-of-the-line U.S. Aegis destroyers, U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen said in an interview, but he didn't say if Taiwan would get them.
The United States has provided Taiwan with defensive weapons only, Cohen stressed in an interview with CNN in Hong Kong March 10.
The U.S. Defense Secretary added that both Taiwan and Beijing should "back away" from "increased rhetoric," and "reduce the tensions."
"All I can say is, to the extent that China takes actions that are threatening in nature as far as military action against Taiwan, that is counterproductive," Cohen said.
"What they need to do is to get back to the business of finding ways in which they can lower the rhetoric, lower the threat, and try to get back to talking about how they can bring about a peaceful reconciliation," Cohen advised.
Following is a transcript of the interview:
(begin transcript)
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WILLIAM COHEN
INTERVIEW WITH JAMIE McINTYRE, CNN
MARCH 10, 2000
HONG KONG
Q: China's remarks about the United States' role in its relationship with Taiwan come at the start of the visit of U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen here to Asia. He is with us in Hong Kong to talk about these and other issues that are expected to dominate his visit. Thank you for joining us, Secretary Cohen. Let's start with these comments from the Chinese foreign minister, who today said that the United States was responsible for worsening relations between Taiwan and China, and said that relations between China and the U.S. were at a critical juncture. Before I ask you to react to that, let's hear a little more about what Minister Tang said today.
(text missing)
Apparently we don't have that piece of tape at the moment, but you heard the brunt of what he said, blaming the United States for inflating the arrogance of separatist forces in Taiwan. Your reaction.
SECRETARY COHEN: Well, just as he said that there is nothing new in the China policy, we would say there is nothing new in our position. We have from the beginning said that we recognize a one-China policy, and we do not support any move toward independence on the part of Taiwan. By the same token, we've also indicated from the very beginning that we also support the Taiwan Relations Act, that is to provide Taiwan with defensive equipment to the extent it needs such. So there's nothing new in our policy, and I think for China to suggest that we are somehow at fault really exaggerates the situation. China itself is required, in our opinion -- we expect this -- to seek a peaceful resolution of the situation with Taiwan. Not try to intimidate them or to in any way pose an aggressive challenge to Taiwan. To seek a peaceful resolution -- that's what we support and we expect.
Q: So, how do you account for the escalating rhetoric that's coming out of Beijing?
SECRETARY COHEN: Well, there are elections coming up, and I think obviously China wants to try to influence those elections. As the report pointed out before, in the past they have turned to firing missiles. This time they're firing words, a much better situation, certainly. But I think they're trying to influence the outcome of the election. Whether it's going to prove to be successful, that remains to be seen. It could prove to be quite counterproductive, depending upon how the Taiwanese people feel about it. So I think that the best thing that China can do and the Taiwanese people can do, the leaders in Taiwan, is to reduce the rhetoric, to really talk about peaceful resolution and reconciliation rather than one side or the other shouting for independence, and the other, China, talking about forceful action on their part. I think they should both reduce the rhetoric and then wait until the elections are over and then see if they can't proceed on the path of peace.
Q: You mentioned that in 1996, China fired missiles across the Taiwan Strait. U.S. intelligence sources tell CNN that there has been a deployment of a newer version of the missile, the CSS-7, at a place called Yonggang, right across the strait from Taiwan. Is that a troubling situation?
SECRETARY COHEN: Well, I can't comment on any intelligence reports. All I can say is to the extent that China takes actions that are threatening in nature as far as military action against Taiwan, that is counterproductive. I think what they need to do is to get back to the business of finding ways in which they can lower the rhetoric, lower the threat, and try to get back to talking about how they can bring about a peaceful reconciliation.
Q: Is there any indication that China is preparing to hurl anything across the Strait other than words?
SECRETARY COHEN: We have not seen that to date. Certainly it could come. But we do not see such action that's imminent, certainly. Anything is possible, but we do not expect that.
Q: China's frustration seems to come from reacting to what some have called the U.S. policy, the strategic ambiguity. The perception, perhaps, that Taiwan and the United States are simply in an indefinite stall, hoping that at some point in the future there will be independence for Taiwan. Is that frustration legitimate?
SECRETARY COHEN: To the contrary. We do not support Taiwan's move for independence. We have stated that time and time again. To the extent that we provide them with defensive equipment, we review that very carefully each year and make an assessment in terms of what is required for their defensive needs -- not offensive, but defensive -- and that comes about with respect to the Hawk missile system. That is 20-year-old technology. It's being expanded somewhat with new radars, but giving it basically the same capabilities, so there's not a quantum increase in capability that China can point to. This is something that we thought and find to be necessary for Taiwan's defense.
Q: Taiwan has asked for top-of-the-line U.S. Aegis destroyers. Will they get it?
SECRETARY COHEN: Well, we're reviewing that request now to see whether it's required. The one thing I've tried to point out to the Chinese leadership -- the chairman for the Chinese Institute for International Studies and Strategic Studies was in my office recently, and I tried to point out that the best way to resolve the situation is for both sides to back away from the increased rhetoric and to reduce the tensions.
Q: Let's turn to Vietnam, where you will be turning your attention on Monday as you become the first U.S. Defense Secretary to visit there since the end of the Vietnam War, and the first to Hanoi as well. What do you think is the importance of that? Is it symbolic mostly?
SECRETARY COHEN: It's certainly symbolic, but it's also another step toward, hopefully, normalizing the relations with Vietnam. To the extent that we have overall improved relations, certainly from a trade and diplomatic point of view, we'd like to see the military-to-military relationship improve accordingly. It will be a step-by-step process. We do not expect major changes at the outset. We will look for ways in which we can perhaps cooperate on a humanitarian-type basis. Also looking at flood control, military medicine, that sort of thing initially, and hope that over a period of time we can establish the kind of mutual confidence that will allow us to have better relations with them. At the top of our priorities, however, is the continued search for the remains of those who are missing in action. We still have some 2,000 missing in action from the Vietnam War, and we're trying to recover those remains. And one of the important parts of my visit will be to visit a site where this is ongoing -- to symbolize to Vietnam the importance of it, and to the families of those who have lost their loved ones that we continue the search.
Q: Is there a next concrete step that can be taken that's in line for the United States and Vietnam to have a military-to-military relationship that goes beyond the recovery of POW and MIA remains?
SECRETARY COHEN: Well, hopefully out of this series of meetings that I will have, it will lay the foundation for follow-on missions by various levels of our respective departments to look at ways in which we can find common ground as far as humanitarian type missions. I mentioned flood control, military medicine, those types of activities. De-mining would be very helpful, I think, to share expertise in that particular field. But these are the kind of steps that have to be taken before there can be any larger steps.
Q: U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen, thank you for joining us in our studios here in Hong Kong today.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State)
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