US Did Not Support Taiwan Independence: Obama Did NOT Say That

choi

The remark was widely reported among major American newspapers, though in passing.


奥巴马瀛台夜话谈台湾, 美中抬出不同版本. VOA Chinese, Nov 14, 2014.
www.voachinese.com/content/obama-xi-taiwan-20141114/2521079.html

Note:
(a) VOA states, "据中国外交部网站上新华社11月12日发布的消息，习近平与奥巴马在人民大会堂的会谈中，提到两人前一天晚上有很好的会谈与深入的沟通。奥巴马表示，美国 '没有围堵或损害中国统一的意图，美方在台湾问题上的立场没有变化，美国不支持"台独。"'"
(i) 习近平同美国总统奥巴马举行会谈  强调从6个重点方向推进中美新型大国关系建设  把不冲突不对抗、相互尊重、合作共赢的原则落到实处. Ministry of Foreign  Affairs of People's Republic of China
www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_chn/zyxw_602251/t1209988.shtml
(ii) The above did not mention the origin of the document. It is true, however (as VOA reports), that the above is an exact copy of a Xinhua report.

刘华, 习近平强调从6个重点方向推进中美新型大国关系建设. 新华网, Nov 12, 2014.
news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2014-11/12/c_1113220972.htm
("2014年11月12日，国家主席习近平在人民大会堂同美国总统奥巴马举行会谈 * * * 习近平表示，昨天晚上我们谈得很好 * * * 奥巴马表示，我们昨晚谈得很深入")

(b) VOA Continues,

"至于奥巴马与习近平前一天晚上在中南海的深入谈话，新华社11月11日报道说，两人在瀛台坦诚交换意见，习近平告诉奥巴马，'要了解今天的中国、预测明天的中国，必须交接中国的过去，了解中国的文化。' 他说，'中国人民自古以来珍视国家独立、统一和尊严。中国政府必须顺滑民意，坚定维护国家主权、安全和领土完整。' 新华社说，奥巴马表示，他和习近平当晚的深入交谈，“进一步加深我对中国情况以及中国政府和领导人执政理念的了解。我更加理解中国人民为何珍惜国家统一和稳定。”奥巴马还说，美国愿意与中国坦诚对话、增进了解、有效管控分歧，以避免误解和误判。"

刘华, APEC授权发布：习近平同美国总统奥巴马在中南海会晤强调要以积水成渊、积土成山的精神推进中美新型大国关系建设. 新华社, Nov 11, 2014.
news.xinhuanet.com/world/2014-11/12/c_1113206992.htm

(c) VOA further says,

"英文台北时报网站当地时间已是11月15日的一篇报道说，这段奥巴马关于台湾的讲话 '无法证实。' 报道援引美国在台协会发言人金明(Mark Zimmer)的话说，白宫网站上发布奥巴马与习近平联合记者会内容里，有一段关于美国对台湾立场的讲话，那是他唯一知道的奥巴马谈到台湾的内容。根据美国白宫网站上发布关于记者会的完整内容，奥巴马总统在重申美国遵守以三个联合公报和台湾关系法为基础的 '一个中国政策' 时表示，美国鼓励台海两岸 '以尊严和尊重为基础，' 朝建立关系、减少紧张、促进稳定方面有进一步发展。他说，这不但对两岸有利，也符合美国和地区的利益。"

(i) Shih Hsiu-chuan, Obama’s Taiwan remarks unconfirmed; WRITTEN VS SPOKEN: Sources said it was one thing to have US policy not support Taiwanese independence, but another for a US president to say so on the record. Taipei Times, Nov 15, 2014 (available now)
www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2014/11/15/2003604459
("The part about the US’ stance on Tibet was attested to by the transcript of the joint news conference following the Obama-Xi meeting, available on the White House Web site, and included Obama saying: 'I did note that we recognize Tibet as part of the People’s Republic of China. We are not in favor of independence.' However, Obama saying that the US does not support Taiwanese independence was nowhere to be found in the transcript. According to the transcript, Obama mentioned Taiwan only when he said: 'I reaffirmed my strong commitment to our one-China policy based on the Three Joint Communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act. And we encourage further progress by both sides of the Taiwan Strait towards building ties, reducing tensions and promoting stability on the basis of dignity and respect'”)
(ii) Remarks by President Obama and President Xi Jinping in Joint Press Conference. Office of Press Secretary, White House, Nov 12, 2014.
www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-off ... nt-press-conference

(iii) Yet another source confirms the preceding press release by White House is verbatim, at least when it comes to Taiwan: YouTube.com.

Gerrit van der Wees, Fwd: AP Report on Obama Statement in Beijing. Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), Nov 14, 2014
groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/bay-area-taiwanese-american/e4J9dNLbH9E
("I checked the video tape on Youtube, and this is precisely what he [Obama] said")
(iv) The Associated Press report in dispute is

Josh Lederman and Christopher Bodeen, Obama, Xi Look to Highlight Areas of Agreement. AP, Nov 12, 2014
www.tulsaworld.com/news/governme ... 8-15fb0d43b936.html
(the third paragraph from the bottom: "In another nod to China's sovereignty, Obama reaffirmed his support for a 'one China' policy that regards Taiwan as part of China")
(v) Taipei Times (which I first brought up in (c)(i)) cited Mr Richard Bush: "Richard Bush, former AIT chairman and director of the Center for East Asia Policy Studies at the Washington-based Brookings think tank, held a different view. It is a matter of no consequence whether Obama told Xi that the US does not support Taiwanese independence, because it is the US’ long-held policy, Bush said."

Of course it matters. Otherwise,
(A) AP would not have said: in its title "Xi Look to Highlight Areas of Agreement" AND in that particular paragraph "In another nod to China's sovereignty."
(B) And Ministry of Foreign Affairs, TAIWAN, would not be "stern" toward AP.  See
Alison Hsiao, Ministry Criticizes Obama Misquote. Taipei Times, Nov 14, 2014.
www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2014/11/14/2003604388

choi

Clarification: Obama-China Story. AP, Nov 14, 2014 (Google: 9 hours ago; it’s 10 pm EST).
www.timesunion.com/news/politics ... Beijing-5884970.php