it is a decision mandated by the taiwan relations act, and it is a presidential decision.o this is not a decision that is up to the department of defense. it is a decision that is of to the political leadership of the united states in terms of what would be a requirement in order to change our approach with respect to the execution of all or change the law if it is necessary. i don't know if that is required. but at this essentially a political decision and not one that we in the dod would take. but i will tell you the chinese, even though the president of taiwan has reached out in that relationship and looks pretty stable and we certainly applaud the growing links between taiwan and the people's republic, another piece of that is the extraordinary chinese deployment of all manner of cruise and ballistic missiles opposite taiwan on the chinese side of the street. so that's a reality that goes along with the growing other links between the two. but as you say, our position, and i repeated in singapore, is we are opposed to the independence of taiwan. we stick with a feather

it is a decision mandated by the taiwan relations act, and it is a presidential decision.o this is not a decision that is up to the department of defense. it is a decision that is of to the political leadership of the united states in terms of what would be a requirement in order to change our approach with spect tothe execution of all or change the law if it is necessary. i don't know if that is required. but at this essentially a political decision and not one that we in the dod would take. but i will tell you the chinese, even though the president of taiwan has reached out in that relationship and looks pretty stable and we certainly applaud the growing links between taiwan and the people's republic, another piece of that is the extraordinary chinese deployment of all manner of cruise and ballistic missiles opposite taiwann the chinese side of the street. so that's a reality that goes along with the growing other links between the two. but as you say, our position, and i repeated in singapore, is we are opposed to the independence of taiwan. we stick with a feathery com

on north korea and taiwan, it either south korea or taiwan is china, what should be our or response?> we defend them. isn't it an interesting thing how we had this conversation about that? who owns the most amount our debt? china. in the last year, there was one point in march or february word china did not own the most amount of debt, japan did. why did that take place? during the month of february, we followed through on our agreement to sell the weapons to taiwan, where we had a three communicates of understanding, and we allow the dalai lama to come to the white house and visit the president. he had a walk in the back door but he was honored inside the capitol. do you know what time it did? they sold some of their debt. they became no. 2. what effect did this have on you? if you are borrowing $1.3 trillion, there is all local office in downtown washington, d.c. that sells all of our debt. i've gone to it and witnessed it. you go through and if that anytime someone does not have the confidence in buying america's debt, its 30 seconds before the world would know. has this ever happ

we're seeking to reopen markets in japan, korea and taiwan for some of our beef and pork products. we're having renewed discussions with russia on poultry. so there are opportunities for us outside of the e.u. that are significant and important and we'll continue to work to expand those opportunities to make new partnerships, new arrangements. one of the reasons the president is focused on the transpacific discussions is a way of multilaterally engaging in new trade opportunities. there are free trade agreements that hopefully congress will be able to work on and ultimately ratify in the very near future in panama, colombia, and south korea. so there's a lot of trade opportunity outside of the e.u. we'll continue to want to do business, but it's not business, but it's not necessarily dispositive of how we're going to do if the european trade is off a bit. >> i'd like to follow up on a trade question as well, mr. secretary. america taxpayers will be paying $147 million a year to brazil because the agriculture department's cotton subsidy program has been ruled illegal. what are you g

arms deals with taiwan were proof the u.s. china an enemy. i want to read a little bit of what this rear admiral said. everything that is going right in u.s. relations with china is because of china. everything going wrong is the fault of the u.s. he accused the u.s. of being a hegemon and saying the bulk of the bile is with taiwan he said they prove the u.s. views china as an enemy. so plug in this whole military and whole military aspect of all of this and what folks inside the government are saying. . they did not buy anything. nor have the internal, domestic disputes. the legislature could not agree on a spending bill. president bush had proposed in his first term. finally, they put a bill together. this package had been discussed nine years ago and was one of the movement grew. it was a massive sale. the chinese have responded very quickly. they want to bring pressure on the united states. host: do issues like taiwan or any other geopolitical issue in the world, whether it is iran or something like that, do they all come back to the trad

there is taiwan, south korea. nobody is talking about significant numbers of ground troops. there is a technological aspect. i think it goes back about human rights. the focus ought to be on democrats in -- democratic societies. intervening in a civil war does not wor ery well because of the baggage america carries. it is counterproductive. any further questions? in the back. >> what happens [[naudibl [inaudible] let me make it clear that one part of this repo that will not getuch congressional support is tricare. i think it's in the interests of many of the people most opposed to the kind of think people have been through in afghanistan is people whoav been through it. once we make it clear we are appropriately defined national security -- secondly, i hope every organization in this country that wants to see more spending on qlity of life issues and lower taxesill join this effort. we need to make clear to people. those other efforts will be severely hampered. we will be making this available to people. we will ask people tbuy some of it. i would urge people -- people of th

on north korea and taiwan, it either south korea or taiwan is china, what should be our or response? >> we defend them. isn't it an interesting thing how we had this conversation about that? who owns the most amount our debt? china. in the last year, there was one point in march or february word china did not own the most amount of debt,apan did. why did that take place? during the month of february, we followed through on our agreement to sell the weapons to taiwan, where we had a three communicates of understanding, and we allow the dalai lama to come to the white house and visit the president. he had a walk in the back door but he was honored inside the capitol. do you know what time it did? they sold some of their debt. they became no. 2. what effect did this have on you? if you are borrowing $1.3 trillion, there is all local office in downtown washington, d.c. that sells all of our debt. i've gone to it and witnessed it. you go through and if that anytime someone does not have the confidence in buying america's dt, its 30 seconds before the worldould know. has this ever happened

there is taiwan, south korea. nobody is talking abo significant numbers of ground troops. there is a technological aspect. i think it goes back about human rights. the focus ought to be on democrat in -- democratic societies intervening in a civil war does not work ery well because of the baggage america carries. it is counterproductive. any further questions? in the back. >> what happens [[naudible] [inaudible] >> let me makit clear tha one part of this report that will not get much congressnal support is tricare. i think it's in the interests of many of the people most opposed to the kind of think people have beenhrough in afghanistan is people who have been through it. once we make it clear we are appropriately defined nation security -- sendly, i hope every organization in this country that wants to see more spendingn quality of life issues and lower taxes will join this effort. we need to make clear to people. those other efforts ll be severely hampere we will be making this available to people. we will ask people to buy some of it. i would urge people -- people of th

there is taiwan, south korea. nobody is talking about significant numbers of ground troops. there is a technological aspect. i think it goes back about human rights. the focus ought to be on democrats in -- democratic societies. intervening in a civil war does not work ery well because of the baggage america carries. it is counterproductive. any further questions? in the back. >> what happens [[naudible] [inaudible] >> let me make it clear that one part of this report that will not get much congressional support is tricare. i think it's in the interests of many of the people most opposed to the kind of think people have been through in afghanistan is people who have been through it. once we make it clear we are appropriately defined national security -- secondly, i hope every organization in this country that wants to see more spending on quality of life issues and lower taxes will join this effort. we need to make clear to people. those other efforts will be severely hampered. we will be making this available to people. we will ask people to buy some of it. i would urge peo

brady: yesterday china and taiwan signed a free trade agreement to open up markets, create jobs, strengthen their economy. you have to ask yourself if these two bitter political rivals can work together to boost the economy, why isn't this congress taking up the free trade agreement with colombia? colombia is one of america's strongest allies. with our help they have instilled rule of law, defeated the farc terrorist group, they created labor rights, and lowered their crime rate by 90%. while for three years, this congress has done nothing. other countries are now moving in line ahead of us and our u.s. farmers are losing their sales to colombia. congress does nothing. venezuela has imposed a trade agreement on our ally colombia, this congress does nothing. it's time for congress to take up and pass the colombia free trade agreement this year. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. for what purpose does the gentlelady from nevada rise? ms. titus: to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. ms

i have been to taiwan and build a relationship with them. we need a port in south carolina for when the panama canal is finished. i have been there and met with the shipping companies. you have to start planning for the future. whether you do a public-private partnership, we need eight intermodal port. we have to do something about our tax structure. we do everything we can to discourage people from investing in south carolina. if you look at what we charge to properties owned by businesses. we are putting the burden on businesses. >> time is up. the next question will be addressed to mr. mcmaster. >> you made the fight against internet crimes against children and more recently the fight against the federal health care bill some of the hallmarks of your time as attorney general of the state. what can you do to make economic development for all of south carolina a hallmark of your time as governor? >> as i began to explain one minute ago, it was an executive position. i note that you have to have a team working together to know all about the

decision to rescind the invitation to secretary gates, do you see that as a direct results of the taiwanarms sale? >> i would direct you to the department of defense on that. >> does it have implications for u.s.-china relations? >> it is countries that disagreed b.g.e. if two countries disagree on arms sales, and countries like china and the united states are going to have times in which whether it is north korean sanctions in front of the un last year or iran sanctions in front of the un this year, where we agree, there will be issues that we disagree on. that is what you have in international relations. >> does the president believe everything should be on the table in regards to [unintelligible] does that include the possibility they could recommend the risk of drilling in deep water to great and it should be stopped? >> i think the president would want to be insured, as he certainly said in meetings, that at the very least, you have to have a plan -- a credible plan for responding to what potentially could happen, to ensure that you can stop something that you start, which 45 days l

of the things that the administration has been trying to do, and for quite some time now since the taiwanrms sale, has been to get the military-to- military contacts back on an even keel with the chinese so they don't get torn up every time there's something that annoys them. >> well, i mean, we share that view. and there were some very detailed and direct discussions of these issues during the course of the strategic component of the s&ed. but i think the pentagon is fully capable of expressing its views as to the reasons for a delay in this visit. >> okay. well, i'm just -- i'm perplexed becaase a senior official said to a group of reporters, "i think you will see one of the takeaways over the course of the next couple of weeks that suddenly chinese friends might have time for secretary gates's visit. " and it just seemm like they got that completely wrong. i wonder what changed. >> again, as to the basis of china's decision, china can explain that. as to our -- the impact that that may have in terms of military-to-military engagement, obviously something we do support, i'll let the pen

governor that and sells south carolina, whether manufacturing in this area, and i have visited in taiwaneed to plan for the future. i've met with the shipping companies and the panama six canal. we need an intermodal port plan for our future and we have to do something about our tax structure. we do everything we can to discourage people from investing in south carolina, what you look at what we chart now on property owned by businesses -- we discourage anyone from buying property, we're putting the burden on the businesses. >> thank you. the next question will be to attorney general mcmaster. >> he made the fight against internet crime and children, and more recently against the federal health care bill and its impact on south carolina. what can you do to make economic development for all south carolina of hallmark of your time as governor? >> as i began to explain a minute ago, i was ronald reagan's first attorney general in the company. -- in the country. my first elected position was attorney general. we have to have a team working together that know all the areas did know about prob

of the things that the administration has been trying to do, and for quite some time now since the taiwan arms sale, has been to get the military-to- military contacts back on an even keel with the chinese so they don't get torn up every time there's something that annoys them. >> well, i mean, we share that view. and there were some very detailed and direct discussions of these issues during the course of the strategic component of he s&ed. but i think the pentagon is fully capable of expressing its views as to the reasons for a delay in this visit. >> okay. well, i'm just -- i'm perplexed because a senior official said to a group of reporters, "i think you will see one of the takeaways over the course of the next couple of weeks that suddenly chinese friends might have time for secretary gates's visit. " and it just seems like they got that completely wrong. i wonder what changed. >> again, as to the basis of china's decision, china can explain that. as to our -- the impact that that may have in terms of military-to-military engagement, obviously something we do support, i'll let the pe

we are seeking to reopen markets in japan, korea, and taiwan for our beef and pork products.e have renewed discussions with russia on poultry. there are opportunities for us outside of the european union that are important and we will continue to expand those opportunities, to make new partnerships. one of the reasons why the president focused on the transpacific discussions is a way of multilaterally engaging in the new trade agreements. there are free trade agreements converse will hopefully be able to work on and ratified -- in panama, colombia. there is a lot of trade opportunities outside of the european union. host: you can see the entire interview on "newsmakers" at 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. let's take a look at other news right now going on. this from the associated press, two new jersey man who allegedly intended to kill american troops were arrested saturday before boarding flights on their way to joined a group in somalia. this looks at the star-ledger of newark reported that two men were arrested at jfk international airport before they could board separate flights

. >> on china, the visit by secretary gates, do you see that as a direct result as the taiwan -- a ddrect result of the tie 1 arms sales? >> i do not have information on that. we have two countries that disagreed on our arms sales. countries like china and the united states are going to have times in which, whether it is the no. 3 in sections of last year or the irani in sanctions of -- north korean sanctions of last year or the iranian sanctions of this year, there will be disagreements. . . a credible plan for responding to what potentially could happen, to ensure you can stop something that you start. which, 45 days later, bp is not showing good results on. i will say this. there are thousands of wells in the gulf. we have, as we have slowed deep water permits, we continue oratory drilling in shallow water. that continues -- exploratory drilling in shall let water -- shallow water. that continues. around 60% of our oil is imported from overseas. we have to break our dependence on foreign oil. the president outlined a plan that included more drilling, because -- well, because we have to

need to be able to move your defense around, your missile defense system to either israel or the taiwan straits are the korean peninsula. been the key thing we need to have his technological advances, the airborne laser, the abl. it is like a speed rusher who can't be blocked and it hits the backfield as soon as it gets the ball. that is what we need for our national defense. another thing that needs to be understood as the home-field advantage of sports. the homer hankies of minnesota, who doubt new orleans or mile high stadium in denver. there is a whole bill that damage and there is a chapter in my book called there is no place like home. that is respecting the states, the people in the states, to experiment, who reflect the challenges that are unique to a particular state and reflect the values of the people. michelle easton when i was governor, was president of the board of education and we put in high academic standards and accountability in schools for making sure our young people can k-12 are learning how to read, write, speak the english language, higher levels of math, science

tensions were high in the taiwan strait and the war in vote nan was just emerging on the horizon. a half century later, asia, while now the prosperous trading hub of the world, is still dangerous. only -- we need only look at the recent torpedoing of a south korean naval vessel by a reckless north korea to recognize that the asia-pacific region is not jet truly pacific. thrugh all the perils in the pacific, the united states-japan treaty of mutual cooperation and security has stood as a cornerstone of a continued regional peace and prosperity. none of this would be possible without the contribution of the people of japan and especially those on ock in a what through their continued hosting of our proud u.s. armed forces. the smooth transition from bitter adversaries to full partners is a tribute to the resiliency and farsightedness of two people on opposite sides of the pacific. the people of the united states and the people of japan. the recent reaffirmation of the commitment to full implementation of he 2006 road map and the guam international agreement for realignment of u.s. a