US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said the Taiwan issue, expected to be raised during President Hu Jintao's visit to the US next month, should be resolved through dialogue.
The assistant secretary for East Asia and Pacific affairs was responding to concerns over cross-strait relations by members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, the China News Service said yesterday.
The members were referring to the move this month by Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian to shut down the National Unification Council.
Mr Hill said the success of America's long-term strategy in East Asia and the Pacific hinged on China's direction in becoming a rising power in the region and the world. He admitted the US was facing a dilemma in its relations with China. It wanted to strengthen ties with Beijing but ensuring the security and interests of American allies would not be compromised.
Mr Hill said he hoped that during President Hu's visit to the US the two sides would be able to resolve some of their differences on issues such as intellectual property rights protection and market access. Exchanges on issues of human rights and religious freedom were expected, the report said.
President Hu had planned to visit the US last September but his trip was postponed because of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.