TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell commented on UN Resolution 2758 during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Wednesday (Sept. 18).

The resolution recognized the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate government of China and made it a permanent member of the UN Security Council, replacing the Republic of China (Taiwan). In recent years, Beijing has used its interpretation of 2758 to lay claim over Taiwan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly protested Beijing's claims.  

Campbell agreed that China is using the resolution to “make the argument that somehow Taiwan’s status is illegitimate...”

He also reiterated US commitment to Taiwan, saying, “We try to clarify in all of our engagements the nature of our policy towards Taiwan.” Bilateral ties are based on the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), the six assurances, and the three communiques, he said.

This framework has allowed for an “unprecedented level” of peace in the Taiwan Strait, the official said. “It’s given us the capacity and the framework to engage on a complex issue.”

On the Chinese military threat toward Taiwan, Campbell pointed out that the TRA gives the US the capacity to help resist aggression in the Western Pacific. The US has provided a substantial amount of aid to its partners in the Indo-Pacific, he said.

He called Taiwan a “highly resilient” nation and said, “I do believe that they recognize that many countries stand with them.”

In May, Campbell underscored the US' strong concerns over China’s “destabilizing actions” around Taiwan during a meeting with Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu (馬朝旭). Beijing’s actions “erode the status quo that has maintained regional peace and stability for decades,” he said.