[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 37 (Monday, September 20, 1999)]
[Pages 1726-1727]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With President Jiang Zemin 
of China in Auckland, New Zealand

September 11, 1999

Situation in East Timor

    Q. Mr. President, on East Timor, what's the next step for the U.S. 
and the international community, now that Indonesia seems to be failing 
to stop the violence there?
    President Clinton. Well, today we suspended all military sales and 
continue to work to try to persuade the Indonesians to support the 
United Nations' operation to go in and help to end the violence and 
secure the safety of the people there. And that's what we have to 
continue to do.
    I think the United Nations will support such an endeavor if the 
Indonesians will request it. And I think it is imperative that they do 
so. And I think we're making headway.
    Q. Is there any time frame for that? Is there any kind of deadline 
on that?
    President Clinton. Well, I think you'll see a development here in 
the next couple of days. I think something will happen. I'll be 
surprised if it doesn't. We're working--not just the United States, 
people all over the world are working very hard on it. And I think 
people in Asia are very concerned about it.

China-U.S. Relations

    Q. Mr. President, how are U.S.-Chinese relations now?

[[Page 1727]]

    President Clinton. Well, I don't want to speak for President Jiang, 
but from my point of view, I'm eager to get on with it and have this 
meeting. [Laughter]
    Q. Will you be able to get a WTO deal, sir?
    President Clinton. Certainly hope so.

Taiwan

    Q. Mr. President, what's your message when it comes to Taiwan?
    President Clinton. My message is that our policy has not and will 
not change. We favor one China. We favor a peaceful approach to working 
out the differences. We favor the cross-strait dialog. Our policy has 
not changed, and it will not change.
    Q. President Jiang, are you sticking with your threat to use 
military force against Taiwan, sir?
    President Jiang. Our policy on Taiwan is a consistent one. That is, 
one, peaceful unification, one country-two systems. However, if there 
were to be any foreign intervention, or if there were to be Taiwan 
independence, then we would not undertake to renounce the use of force.

Note: The exchange began at 5:18 p.m. in the Drawing Room at the 
Government House. A tape was not available for verification of the 
content of this exchange.