Washington: The U.S. State Department on Thursday dismissed China's criticism of American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Raymond Greene as "baseless," stating that he "fully represents the U.S. government's position."
According to Focus Taiwan, the response followed China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) criticism of Greene over his remarks at a drone industry forum in Taichung on July 2. At the event, Greene suggested that Taiwan should develop a "hornet's nest" of drones to bolster deterrence, with the United States ready to assist in realizing that vision. In response to CNA's request for comments, a State Department spokesperson, speaking on background, reiterated that "China's accusations are baseless" and affirmed that Greene "fully represents the U.S. government's position."
The spokesperson clarified that the U.S. policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged, continuing to be guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three U.S.-China joint communiqu©s, and the Six Assurances. They emphasized that, in line with the Taiwan Relations Act and over 45 years of commitment across various U.S. administrations, the United States supports Taiwan's acquisition of essential defense capabilities proportional to the threats it faces.
Furthermore, the spokesperson urged Beijing to halt its pressure on Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan's democratically elected authorities without preconditions. On Wednesday, TAO spokesperson Chen Binhua accused Greene of making "incorrect remarks" on Taiwan-related issues and called on relevant U.S. agencies and personnel to stop sending what Beijing termed "false signals" to "Taiwan independence separatist forces."