20041203

REFORM EFFORTS: Koo Kwang-ming said it was unreasonable for the US to require an explanation for moves to rectify the nation's name or rewrite the ROC Constitution
STAFF WRITER
Taiwan need not explain moves toward reforming its Constitu-tion to Washington as such an act would be "shameful," Senior Presidential Advisor Koo Kwan-min said yesterday.

"The Americans would not want their government to make such moves either -- they would feel that it was shameful," Koo said.

He made the remark while speaking at a campaign rally in support of David Huang, a Taiwan Solidarity Union candidate running in the southern Taipei district.

"The Taiwanese people respect the US, but it is unreasonable that the US requires an explanation for moves to rectify the nation's name or to rewrite the Constitution," Koo said.

US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said while taking questions during a daily press briefing on Monday that the US "appreciated President Chen's [Shui-bian pledge [in his inaugural address in 2000] and his subsequent reaffirmations of it."

Boucher said that Washington took those pledges very ser-iously, "particularly as they apply to this referendum on a new constitution."

Asked by reporters whether recent remarks that Chen made about his designs for constitutional change were a violation of his pledges, Boucher responded, "As far as whether any other ideas or proposals contradict that [the pledge] or not, I think he'll have to explain."

In his inaugural address in May 2000 Chen pledged not to declare independence, not to change the name of Taiwan's government, not to add the "state to state" model of cross-strait relations to the Constitution and not to change the status quo on independence or unification through referendum.

Chen also promised that he would not seek to do away with the National Reunificaiton Coun-cil or the Guidelines for National Reunification.

"The US should be more understanding of Taiwan's situation and refrain from such meaningless moves," Koo said, calling on the US to be reasonable.

Former president Lee Teng-hui had expressed similar sentiments to the situation on Wednesday, asking, "Is the US Taiwan's father?"

He took the opportunity to promote the name-rectification cam-paign, declaring that the Repub-lic of China (ROC) could no longer be used as the nation's official title.

"To continue to use `Taiwan, ROC' would be a stupid way to go. The ROC has already been conquered by the People's Republic of China [PRC]. If Taiwan calls itself the ROC, then it is the same as calling itself the PRC," Lee said.

Lee pointed to the Book of Exodus in the Bible to demonstrate his point, saying that the Israelites faced difficulties on their way to Canaan because they had forgotten their common faith.

"If Taiwan does not identify with itself, it will not have the spirit to fight for Taiwan," the former president said.

Lee also reiterated that the next three years were crucial to Taiwan on the diplomatic front.

He explained that the US would probably see shifts in foreign policy within the next three years, and that Taiwan had to take the opportunity to promote its agenda.

Lee said, however, that the most important task now was to secure a pan-green majority in the legislature in the Dec. 11 elections.

LAWMAKERS UNITED: Visiting members of the US Congress concurred on Taiwan's sovereignty as a nation, and were perplexed at Chinese 'word games'
By Melody Chen STAFF REPORTER

President Chen Shui-bian understands the difficulty the US faces in dealing with China and Taiwan but would fiercely resist the country's unification with China, a visiting US congressmember said yesterday.?

"I gather from our discussion with your president that he would fiercely resist probably to the death any reunification of Taiwan into mainland China, although I am not quoting him on that," said US Representative Phil Gingrey, a Georgia Republican.

After US State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher cautioned Taiwan against holding a referendum to seek independence on Monday, Chen told Gingrey and two other visiting members of Congress John Carter and John Culberson, both Texas Republicans, that he will uphold the pledges he made in his inauguration speech this year and Double Ten National Day address.

Chen promised in his inaugural speech this year that he would not declare independence, not change the name of Taiwan's government, not add the state-to-state model to the Constitution and not promote a referendum to change the status quo.

Chen understands the practical realities of the difficulty for the US because of the People's Republic of China, said Gingrey, who described the US as a great friend of Taiwan.

The congressman said with the opening of markets in China, the country may hopefully drift away from totalitarianism.

"Then Taiwan will have the opportunity, as I think it deserves, to be recognized on the international scale as a separate, independent nation," added Gingrey.?

Asked whether he thinks Chen promised not to declare Taiwanese independence because the president believes the country is already independent, Gingrey paraphrased Chen's conversation with him and his colleagues: "I agree that is what he said."

Taiwan and the US, however, "understand the problem with an official declaration of independence, even though unofficially, that is what de facto exists," Gingrey said.

Carter said in their conversation with Chen, the president told them not to be concerned too much about political rhetoric.

"I got the impression that he is very excited about the constitution. The nation is coming up with writing a new constitution and the establishment of democracy firmly in Taiwan. I am personally excited, too. I think it is good. I think he would like negotiations with mainland China," Carter said.

Carter said he also got the impression that Chen "wants to be able to have independence for Taiwan without being offensive or threatening to mainland China."

Culberson, who described Chen as a "self-made man" to be admired immensely, noted that history proves that Taiwan is a "free, sovereign and independent nation."

"I always think it is very unfortunate and I regret very much that president [Jimmy] Carter withdrew support for Taiwan back in the 1979. I am very proud of President Bush for standing by Taiwan and promising to defend Taiwan, as I will, against any potential aggressor," Culberson said.

"I don't understand why the Chinese play these word games. It is an objective and historical fact that Taiwan is an independent sovereign nation. It's apparent, anyone can see with their eyes," said Culberson.?

Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama appealed to Chinese authorities not to execute Tibetan monk Tensin Deleg Rinpoche, whose death sentence was suspended for a two-year period which expired yesterday.

"I hope as in the past in some cases the Chinese government and concerned officials will reconsider the death sentence. I hope they reconsider the decision," the Dalai Lama said in Bangalore.

Tensin Deleg, 52, was sentenced to death in December 2002 along with Lobsang Dhondup, a 28-year-old activist, for an April 2002 bomb attack in Sichuan's provincial capital Chengdu in which one person was killed and another injured.

They were also found guilty of further explosions in the Ganzi region of west Sichuan. Both men denied the charges and the case prompted an international outcry.

Lobsang Dhondup was executed in January last year but Tensin Deleg was given a two-year sus-pended sentence.

Suspended death sentences in China are often reduced to life imprisonment but Tibetans are treated differently due to the politically sensitive nature of Tibet.

In New Delhi three Indian members of parliament (MPs) along with their counterparts from the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamshala tried to march to the Chinese embassy to hand over a memorandum seeking the monk's release. They were stopped by police. Later, police briefly detained the Tibetan MPs but allowed the Indian lawmakers to drive to the embassy where mission staff refused to accept the memorandum. They instead asked them to leave it under the building gate, said Thupen Chewang, one of the MPs.

"We are greatly concerned by the human rights violations in Tibet and in particular, the expiry of the reprieve period of death sentence on a peaceful Buddhist monk," the memorandum said.

"We appeal to you to immediately release Tensin Deleg forthwith and unconditionally," it said.

Even as a Singaporean, I share the sentiments of President Chen Shui-bian when he stated that Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan and People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong have never stopped inciting chaos in Taiwan since they lost the elections in 2000 and this year ("Number of elections should be reduced, President Chen says," Nov. 30, page 3).

Based on the actions and behavior of Lien and Soong since March 20, when they again lost the presidential election to Chen, I have no doubts that both men still harbor the ambition of becoming president in 2008. And that is indeed a shame, for both men's blind and selfish desire, or should I say egoistic wish, to become president has resulted in them preventing other, younger leaders such as Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou from seeking a ticket for the presidential election.

Both Lien and Soong are already in their 60s, and instead of planning for leadership renewal in their respective parties, they instead shamelessly sought to consolidate their power. And this despite Taiwanese voters having rejected both men at the presidential polls in 2000 and this year. Are they seeking a hat-trick of rejections by the voters in the 2008 presidential election? Surely such an "achievement" would warrant a place in the Guinness Book of World of Records?

As a concerned observer and friend of Taiwan, I am happy with Chen's election victory on March 20. However, the decision by the majority of voters to choose Chen as their leader for the next four years is but half a step forward to safeguard the interests and sovereignty of Taiwan. The other half-step would be taken when the voters elect a majority of DPP candidates in the legislative elections.

A reason why US President George W. Bush was able to gain support from Americans for his foreign policies over the past four years was mainly because he enjoyed the Republicans' strong support in both the Senate and House of Representatives.

Similarly, Chen requires the support of his DPP legislative colleagues to push for more reforms for Taiwan, which could only result in a better and more democratic and prosperous Taiwan four years down the road.

Given the exposed nature and character of both Lien and Soong, a non-DPP majority in the legislature will only result in the KMT-PFP legislators working together to sabotage the policies which Chen may intend to adopt over the next four years. Lien and Soong should learn a lesson or two about grace and humility from US Senator John Kerry, who conceded defeat to Bush within hours of the election results being released and even pledged to work together with Bush to unify the US. On the other hand, Lien and Soong sought to further divide Taiwan after their election defeats. A further divided Taiwan would only please communist China, and as such, we can deduce whose interests Lien and Soong are indeed seeking to further.

Taiwanese voters must be convinced that Chen is the right man to lead the nation of 23 million citizens forward. The voters' choice of Chen in 2000 and this year are two steps forward, but should the DPP fail to win a majority in the coming legislative election, that would be two steps backward. Former president Lee Teng-hui and Chen have both worked hard and courageously to build a Taiwanese individual identity, with Taiwan as a sovereign nation.

The voters must not allow such hard work to be wasted by the actions and agenda of a few elderly men who apparently seem more intent on serving their own interests.

As a foreigner, it is my humble wish to see a more progressive Taiwan, free of threats from any other nations. And that would only be possible with a clear DPP victory at the polls next Saturday. On Dec. 11, I will be watching Taiwanese pop princess Jolin Tsai in concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, but the moment I get home, I will check the television networks and Internet for an update on the legislative election results.

The future of Taiwan could be affected by the election results next weekend. I urge Taiwanese to vote wisely -- there is only one apparent and clear voice -- the DPP. Support Chen and the DPP to further improve the lives of Taiwanese and the strength of Taiwan as a sovereign nation.

Singapore