Six Assurances

The six assurances from the United States to the Republic of China (or Taiwan) are quasi-contractual agreements for the foreign policy of the countries involved.

Formation

They are made since 1982, ie since the second year of the then U.S. President Ronald Reagan. The People's Republic of China is threatening since the anti - secession law with a military intervention in case the Republic of China on Taiwan should declare formal independence. The U.S. maintains no official diplomatic relations with Taiwan ( there are no embassies of both countries in the other country ), yet the United States adopted the law Taiwan Relations Act, according to which they undertake to afford aid Taiwan against any military threat. However, this does not necessarily lead to a military intervention of the United States - is meant primarily the sale of weapons with defensive nature to Taiwan.

Content

The assurances include that:

• The United States put no time to stop arms sales to Taiwan.
• The U.S., the terms of the Taiwan Relations Act will not change.
• The U.S. will not negotiate with the People's Republic of China, before deciding on an arms sale to Taiwan.
• The U.S. will not mediate between Taiwan and the People's Republic of China.
• The U.S. does not change their minds about the independence of Taiwan and Taiwan does not force them into negotiations with the People's Republic of China. The opinion of the U.S. is that the question must be solved peacefully between the parties to the dispute.
• The U.S. is a sovereignty of the People's Republic of China on Taiwan is not formally recognize.

On these assurances had been changed to November 2004, according to a response to a request from the United States nothing.