US 'won't expect our help in Taiwan strife': Australia

The Australian ^ | September 21, 2005 | John Kerin

[F14 Pilot]

THE US no longer expects Australia to automatically support it in a conflict with China over the flashpoint of Taiwan, Bush administration officials have told Australian MPs.

The message was delivered by US military, Pentagon and State Department officials to a delegation of visiting MPs, before John Howard delivered one of his strongest speeches in New York last week distinguishing Australia's approach to China from that of the US.

Under the ANZUS treaty there has been an expectation that Australia would support the US in a conflict over Taiwan.

But Foreign Minister Alexander Downer shocked the region with a speech 12 months ago in Beijing in which he hinted Australia would not automatically support the US.

South Australian Liberal senator Alan Ferguson, chairman of the Joint Defence Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee and a delegation member, said "in general terms it was made clear that in the unlikely event of a conflict over Taiwan, the US doesn't automatically expect military support from Australia".

Senator Ferguson said he believed the shift in American thinking acknowledged Australia's military was "already stretched" with its contributions to Afghanistan and Iraq.

"There is an acknowledgement in Washington that in our relationship with China we don't always follow the United States," he told The Australian.

[Brilliant]

It wouldn't make much sense for any of our allies to put themselves in the middle of a nuclear exchange.

[Paul_Denton]

I know. Even worse is that there are people in our own country who would do the same thing (such as Hillery).

[Ronaldus Magnus]

Unless Australia had stated both that it would militarily support East Timor and that Australia considered China to be a longtime ally, your analogy to Foreign Minister Downer's statement to U.S. statements from the 1960's is inapplicable.

[ponder life]

It's really all moot. The world recognizes Taiwan as being part of China, including the US.

The US expectation is either to maintain the status quo or peaceful reunification.

Beijing does alot of sabre rattling, but in the end, the ever increasing economic influence of China will steer Taiwan towards reunification. War won't erupt over Taiwan.