若美國晶片自主還會看重台灣?布林肯:台灣會一直很重要

美國國務卿布林肯週二(1/16)受訪談到美中關係以及台海議題時表示,無論美國是否取得晶片自主,台灣在高科技晶片領域上,以及台灣海峽對全球貿易的地位,將始終具有重要地位。

正在瑞士達沃斯(Davos)出席世界經濟論壇(World Economic Forum, WEF)布林肯(Antony Blinken)週二接受CNBC主持人索肯(Andrew Sorkin)專訪。索肯指出,布林肯日前祝賀賴清德當選台灣總統而引起中國政府抗議。布林肯對此表示,中國近年不斷對台灣施壓,證明已經引起反效果。

布林肯說:「中國必須自己決定該做和不該做的事情。我認為他們近幾年的作法,證實是適得其反。藉著對台灣施壓,包括經濟上、軍事上和外交上的施壓,以及孤立(台灣),這只會加強那些他們不希望加強的力量。」

主持人還問他,如果美國有一天取得晶片自主,是否還會認為台灣很重要?布林肯指出,美國要取得晶片自主還需時一段時間,而台灣在晶片領域上仍然非常重要。他說:「除了晶片外,全球5成貨物每天都會航經台灣海峽,這是不會改變的。」

主持人追問:「所以台灣會一直在戰略上(很重要)?」布林肯回說:「它會一直很重要。」

以下是美國國務院公布的布林肯受訪時有關台灣的問答中文翻譯:

「主持人索肯:讓我們從美中關係開始,談談台灣選舉,他們選出新總統。你公開發表評論祝賀他勝選。你認為這對美國和中國關係代表著什麼?是不是可能加大風險?

布林肯:這代表了幾件事。首先且重要的是,我們祝賀了總統當選人,也祝賀了台灣人民,祝賀他們擁有強勁民主以及為該地區和整個世界樹立的了不起的榜樣。說到台灣本身和海峽兩岸關係問題,我們和世界各地其他許多國家一樣,我們都聚焦在:和平、穩定,不改變現狀,和平解決任何分歧。

這一點很重要,對來此參加達沃斯論壇的人都很重要。每天全世界有5成商船經過台灣海峽。台灣製造的半導體以各種方式驅動著世界。如果這些被破壞或阻擋,將會是所有人的問題。

主持人:你祝賀了他(賴清德),而中國外交部發言人如此回應。讓我引述原話:「向台獨分裂勢力發出嚴重錯誤信號,中方對此強烈不滿、堅決反對,已向美方提出嚴正交涉。」你怎麼看?

布林肯:就在(台灣)選舉前一天,我在華府會晤了一位非常高層的中國官員

(劉建超)。這(台灣)是我們聚焦的問題之一。說到台灣和中國,我們非常明確地表達了我們的立場。首先,我們長期以來有「一個中國」政策。這仍然是我們的政策,不會改變,我們重申了這一點。與此同時,就如我所說,我們堅定支持維持現狀,維持和平與穩定。

中國必須自己決定該做和不該做的事情。我認為他們近幾年的作法,證實是適得其反。藉著對台灣施壓,包括經濟上、軍事上和外交上的施壓,以及孤立(台灣),這只會加強那些他們不希望加強的人的力量。

主持人:你是否認為外界很困惑?因為就在你祝賀之後,拜登總統也被問到台灣選舉,他公開表態說:「我們不支持獨立。」這涉及到了「一個中國」政策。所以,我們的意思是民主很好,但是獨立不好?

布林肯:這是我們的一貫政策,就我所知一直如此。再次強調,我們的政策是盡力確保和平、穩定並維持現狀,而不會讓破壞現狀導致全世界的人承擔後果。

主持人:如果(台灣)最終被接管了,會有什麼風險?中國國家主席習近平說,台灣最終會與中國統一。我與前總統蔡英文交談過——也許她目前還是現任總統——就在去年的「DealBook Summit」上。她說,鑒於中國當今的經濟挑戰,她不認為中國會企圖接管台灣。你認為這種看法準確嗎?

布林肯:我不會去揣測;我不會介入假設性的說法。我只能告訴你我們所聚焦的,那就是維持和平與穩定。我們已經非常明確地向中國表達了這一點;我們也非常明確地向台灣表達了。這是我們所聚焦的。

與此同時,我們與中國有相當重大且至關重要的關係。或許可說,這是我們所有對外關係中最複雜且後果最嚴重的關係。我們聚焦於此。

主持人:讓我問你一個問題,因為我們在這裡一直在跟很多企業執行長交談,包括那些晶片業者,英特爾、高通,還有其他很多。在美國,我們有一項很大的努力,企圖把製造業帶回美國,目標是在2030年實現晶片獨立。如果這個目標實現了,台灣對美國在戰略上的重要性是會變大,還是變小呢?

布林肯:首先,你說得沒錯,我們有一項重大努力正在進行之中。本屆政府、拜登政府的一項重大成就,就是投資自己,特別是包括《晶片與科學法》,以確保我們在國內這裡有製造能力。

但是,這需要一段時間。說到晶片,台灣仍然是至關重要的。如我所說,除了晶片,全球每天有5成商船要通過台灣海峽。這是不會改變的。

主持人:所以它將永遠在戰略上…

布林肯:它(台灣)將永遠是重要的。」

以下是美國國務院官網公布有關台灣議題的問答全文:

QUESTION: Let’s go down the list of maybe crises, or big – at least hot topics that are being discussed here, starting with U.S.-China relations as it relates to the Taiwan election. New president in place. You came out with some comments congratulating him on his victory. What do you believe it means for U.S. and China right now? Does it up the risk that something’s going to happen?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, look, it means a few things. First and foremost, we congratulated the president-elect, but also the people of Taiwan on their robust democracy, and the great example that that sets not just for the region but for the entire world. When it comes to Taiwan itself and when it comes to cross-strait relations, we are focused on one thing, and one thing intensely, with many other countries around the world: peace, stability, no change to the status quo, the peaceful resolution of any differences.

And there’s a reason that that matters, and it matters to virtually everyone here in Davos. You know this. Fifty percent of the world’s commerce every single day goes through that strait. The semiconductors made on Taiwan are powering the world in every conceivable way. If that’s interrupted or disrupted in any way, it’s bad for everyone.

QUESTION: Okay. So but let me then ask you about what has turned into a war of words. You congratulate him; this is the China foreign ministry spokesman saying that your comments, quote, “send a gravely wrong signal to the Taiwan independence separatist forces. We strongly deplore and firmly oppose this, and have made serious representations to the U.S. side.” What do you make of that?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: As it happens, I met just a day before the election with a very senior Chinese leader in Washington. This was one of the questions that we focused on. And we’ve made very clear what we stand for when it comes to Taiwan and China. First, we’ve had a “one China” policy for a long time. That remains our policy; it won’t change, and we’ve reaffirmed that. At the same time, as I said, we are standing resolutely for maintaining the status quo, for peace and stability.

China has to make decisions about what it will do and what it won’t do. But I think the approach that they’ve shown in recent years has actually been totally counterproductive to their interests. By trying to exert pressure on Taiwan – economic pressure, military pressure, diplomatic pressure, isolation – it’s only reinforced many of the very people that they don’t want to reinforce.

QUESTION: But do you think this message is getting confused? Because right after you congratulated him, President Biden was asked about the election as well; he came out and he said, “We do not support independence.” That goes to the “one China” policy. So at the same time, we’re saying democracy is great, but actually independence is not.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: No, that’s been our – that’s been our policy for as long as I can remember, and it remains our policy. And again, it’s a policy that ensures to the best of our ability that we have peace, that we have stability, that we don’t have a status quo that’s disrupted in ways that are going to have repercussions for everyone around the world.

QUESTION: What do you think the risk is, though, that there ultimately is a takeover? President Xi has said that he ultimately wants to bring Taiwan fully into China. I spoke with the prior president – or maybe she’s still the current president, but – just last year at the DealBook conference. And she said that she didn’t believe that the Chinese could pursue a takeover, given their economic challenges today. Do you believe that’s accurate?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Look, I’m not going to speculate; I’m not going to get into hypotheticals. I can just tell you what we’re focused on, which is maintaining peace and stability. And we’ve been very clear with China about that; we’ve been very clear with Taiwan about that. And that’s what we’re focused on.

At the same time, we have a big, vitally important relationship with China. It’s probably both the most complex and arguably the most consequential of any relationship we have. We’re also focused on that.

QUESTION: Let me ask you a question, because we’ve been talking to a lot of CEOs here, including folks who make chips – Intel, Qualcomm, and so many others. We’re – we have a big effort in the United States to try to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. – ultimately by 2030 to be chip-independent. If and when that happens, does Taiwan become more or less strategically important to the United States?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, first, you’re exactly right that we have a major effort underway. And one of the major achievements of this administration, of President Biden, has been this investment in ourselves – including, notably, with the CHIPS and Science Act, to make sure that we have that manufacturing capacity here.

But, look, this is going to take some time. Taiwan remains vitally important when it comes to chips. And as I said, beyond chips, 50 percent of the world’s commerce goes through that strait every single day. That’s not going to change.

QUESTION: And so it will always be strategically —

SECRETARY BLINKEN: It will always be important.

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