Clinton supports Taiwan 'ambiguity'

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., supports "strategic ambiguity" when asked whether the United States should defend Taiwan from a Chinese attack.

Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines clarified the Democratic presidential hopeful's position on Taiwan after a China expert said Clinton told him years ago she doubted the United States would defend Taiwan, the Financial Times reported Friday.

"Senator Clinton has been a clear and consistent supporter of the longstanding U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity regarding the U.S. response to a military conflict between China and Taiwan," Reines said.

Michael Swaine, of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, previously said Clinton had expressed doubts about Taiwan to him.

"I talked to Hillary Clinton a couple of years ago," Swaine said. "She said, 'Oh, the United States government, the people of the United States would never go to war over Taiwan'."

The United States is required by the Taiwan Relations Act to defend Taiwan if it is attacked by China. However, the U.S. government in recent years has maintained a policy of ambiguity over whether it would follow through on the promise.