Australia may be asked to honour ANZUS pact

CANBERRA - Australia's ANZUS military pact with the United States could be invoked if conflict erupted between China and Taiwan, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today.

Tensions between China and Taiwan have escalated ahead of anti-succession laws being introduced to the Chinese parliament today.

The laws are designed to deter Taiwan from pushing for the democratic island's independence.

Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian has attacked the move as a threat to regional security, while China's President Hu Jintao has warned his military to prepare for a possible war.

Mr Downer said if war did break out between China and Taiwan, the ANZUS treaty between Australia and the United States could be invoked.

New Zealand is an ``inactive'' partner in the pact and has not taken part in ANZUS military exercises for about two decades.

Under the 54-year-old agreement, Australia is obliged to support America against China if China resorts to force over Taiwan.

But Mr Downer said so far there had not been any requests from the US to take part in a hypothetical war between China and Taiwan.

``We would be bound to consult with the Americans and the ANZUS treaty could be invoked,'' he told ABC radio.

``But that's a very different thing from saying we would make a decision to go to war.

``We would make a decision on the basis of the circumstances in which this arose and the facts of the case.

``We don't know what the situation would precisely be nor is it terribly productive continually to speculate on what we would or wouldn't do. We don't know what we would do.''

Mr Downer also said he would prefer that China did not pass the anti-succession laws.

``I think it would be better if they didn't do it,'' he told ABC radio.

``But on the other hand what really concerns us is the facts of the case, that is, we want to see on the one hand China resolve the Taiwan question peacefully and through negotiation and I'm optimistic that's what'll happen.

``On the other hand, we don't want Taiwan to take action which would be highly provocative, for example, for Taiwan to declare independence.''

- AAP