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Congre s&ona R Fesedrch Service
hnformino Ih lecisIlive deat sin'e 1914
Updated March 28, 2024
President Reagan's Six Assurances to Taiwan
introduction
Under the U.S. one-China policy, the U.S. government
has, since 1979, maintained official relations with the
People's Republic of China (PRC or China) and unofficial
relations with self-governed Taiwan, over which the PRC
claims sovereignty. Like the Trump Administration before
it, the Biden Administration refers to the U.S. one-China
policy as guided by three sets of documents: the Taiwan
Relations Act (TRA, P.L. 96-8; 22 U.S.C. §§3301 et seq.);
three U.S.-PRC Joint Communiques concluded in 1972,
1978, and 1982; and Six Assurances communicated to
Taiwan's government in 1982. Since 2017, Congress and
the President have enacted five laws referring to the TRA
and the Six Assurances as either the foundation for or
cornerstones of' U.S.-Taiwan relations. The most recent
law to reference the Six Assurances refers to the U.S. one-
China policy as the foundation for U.S.-Taiwan ties.
Historical Context
In the 1978 Joint Communique, the United States and the
PRC announced that they had agreed to establish diplomatic
relations on January 1, 1979. In an accompanying
statement, the U.S. government said it would terminate
diplomatic relations with Taiwan on the same date. With
some Members portraying the moves as a betrayal of
Taiwan, Congress passed the TRA, enacted on April 10,
1979. Among the TRA's provisions is that the United States
will make available to Taiwan such defense articles and
defense services as necessary for Taiwan's self-defense. In
1982, with continued U.S. arms sales to Taiwan pursuant to
the TRA a major irritant in the U.S.-PRC relationship, the
Ronald Reagan Administration sought to address the issue
through negotiation of a third U.S.-PRC joint communiqud.
In that communique, known as the August 17th
Communiqu6 for the day in 1982 on which it was released,
the PRC affirmed a fundamental policy of striving for a
peaceful reunification with Taiwan. The United States
stated that it understands and appreciates the Chinese
policy of striving for a peaceful resolution of the Taiwan
question. With those statements in mind, the United
States stated that it does not seek to carry out a long-term
policy of arms sales to Taiwan, that its arms sales to Taiwan
will not exceed, either in qualitative or in quantitative
terms, the level of those supplied [since 1979], and that it
intends gradually to reduce its sale of arms to Taiwan,
leading over a period of time, to a final resolution.
The Reagan Administration knew the communique would
be viewed with alarm in Taiwan. On July 10, 1982, five
weeks before its release, then-Under Secretary of State
Lawrence Eagleburger sent a cable to James Lilley, director
of the unofficial U.S. representative office in Taiwan, the
American Institute in Taiwan, instructing him to seek a
meeting with Taiwan President Chiang Ching-kuo.
Table I. The Language of the Six Assurances
CRS has bolded the verb tenses
Eagleburger Shultz cable: Holdridge
cable: for for Taiwan to testimony before
President make public Senate
Chiang (7/10/82) (8/17/1982) (8/1 7/1982)
We have not
agreed to set a
date certain for
ending arms sales
to Taiwan.
We have not
agreed to prior
consultation on
arms sales.
We have not
agreed to any
mediation role for
the U.S.
We have not
agreed to revise
the Taiwan
Relations Act.
We have not
agreed to take any
position regarding
sovereignty over
Taiwan.
The PRC has at
no time urged us
to put pressure on
Taiwan to
negotiate with the
PRC; however, we
can assure you
that we will
never do so.
The U.S. has
not agreed to
set a date for
ending arms
sales to
Taiwan.
The U.S. has
not agreed to
consult with the
PRC on arms
sales to
Taiwan.
The U.S. will
not play any
mediation role
between Taipei
and Beijing.
The U.S. has
not agreed to
revise the
Taiwan
Relations Act.
The U.S. has
not altered its
position
regarding
sovereignty
over Taiwan.
The U.S. will
not exert
pressure on
Taiwan to enter
into
negotiations
with the PRC.
[W]e did not
agree to set a date
certain for ending
arms sales to
Taiwan.
[The 1982 Joint
Communiqu6]
should not be read
to imply that we
have agreed to
engage in prior
consultations with
Beijing on arms sales
to Taiwan.
[W]e see no
mediation role for
the United States.
We have no plans
to seek any such
revisions [to the
TRA].
[T]here has been
no change in our
longstanding
position on the issue
of sovereignty over
Taiwan.
[N]or will we
attempt to exert
pressure on Taiwan
to enter into
negotiations with
the PRC.](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.crs/goveovc0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
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