Merry Christmas to mainland China
Reported Dec. 22, 1999 ---
The Chinese communists are commonly viewed by the American people as
the biggest threat to the United States, a ROC government official in
charge of mainland China affairs said. Citing a recent poll conducted in
the United States, Lin Chong-pin, vice chairman of the cabinet-level
Mainland Affairs Council, said 36 percent of the American people think
mainland China poses the biggest threat to America, ahead of 21 percent
who cited Iraq as America’s bogeyman. In addition, some 55
percent of the respondents voiced support for Taiwan independence
because the island is a democracy.
While 37 percent of them support current U.S. policy which does not
condone Taiwan independence, but also does not condone mainland
China’s military threats against Taiwan. Around 61 percent of
Republican Party members expressed support for Taiwan independence, while
51 percent of Democratic Party members voiced the same opinion, Lin
said, citing the poll results.
Report from Taipei ---
President Lee Teng-hui met with foreign participants yesterday (Dec.
17, 1999) in the second general meeting of the Asia-Pacific Security
Forum. The meeting acted as a platform for Lee to express Taiwan’s
consistent efforts in the pursuit of stable cross-strait relations.
Lee told the visitors at the Presidential Office that only if Taipei
and Beijing each respect the “fact that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are
currently ruled by two separate governments with no attachment to one
another, whereby two equitable political entities coexist,”
can they overcome their political differences and develop their
relations to benefit the peaceful unification of China.
This principle must be addressed if the two sides engage in talks on
an equal footing, Lee said, adding that this is the reason he put
forward the “special state-to-state relationship”
theory on July 9.
The president said that the ROC government believes stable
cross-strait relations are the key to maintaining peace in the
Asia-Pacific region. Therefore, it consistently promotes a
pragmatic cross-strait policy, he added.
He pointed out that the ROC, in 1991, renounced the use of military
force to solve the cross-strait dispute, and has since gradually relaxed
bans on exchanges between Taiwan and the mainland in the hope of setting
up a basis for cross-strait cooperation.
Despite the fact that Beijing has never made any response in the
nature of goodwill to Taipei’s efforts, the ROC will continue its
efforts to ease cross-strait, Lee said.
Washington, Dec. 17 ---
ROC representative to the United States Stephen Chen is stated to
make a report to the legislature later this month on his role in the
U.S. Congress efforts to promote the passage of the Taiwan Security
Enhancement Act (TSEA). But, Chen also told a group of visiting ROC lawmakers which traveled to Washington last
month to lobby for U.S. Congressional support for the approval of the
TSEA that is not appropriate for his office in the United States
to interfere in the legislation of a U.S. domestic law.
Contrary to Chen’s speaking, Taiwan can do surrender itself to
Beijing, and let Beijing do as its will over “internal affair of
Taiwan problem” as well as Beijing’s old story that U.S. can’t
intervene its internal affair over Taiwan issue.
It is very pity to hear that vice Foreign Affairs Minister Tawei
David Lee and spokesman Henry Chen explained to the committee that it
was better for Taipei not to “meddle in” the matter, although the
Republic of China government welcomes the legislation by the U.S.
Congress of any bill which is conductive to Taiwan’s security. Please
don’t let Taiwan voice hoarse!
TOKYO, Dec. 16 ---
Mainland China believes Taiwan’s presidential elections next year
are an internal matter but it will not tolerate any move to
independence, Vice Premier Qian Qichen said in an interview published
here Thursday.
President Lee Teng-hui’s term is to expire next May and elections
for his successor are scheduled for March.
The elections “are an internal matter for Taiwan but we cannot
accept a phenomenon or change that might lead to Taiwan’s
independence,” Qian told the Asahi Shimbun editor in an interview in Beijing.
“Any political change in Taiwan must act favorably for exchange
between Taiwan and China and their future reunification,” Qian told
the newspaper.
Taiwan split from mainland China in 1949 after a bitter civil war.
“One hundred and sixty-five nations of the world recognize the
People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate Chinese government
and Taiwan is part of China,” said Qian.
“We want to solve the current divided situation by a peaceful
unification,” he added.
In 1996, the People’s Liberation Army lobbed ballistic missiles
into shipping lanes off Taiwan during the island’s first presidential
election campaign.
The crisis ended after Washington sent two battle carrier groups to
waters near Taiwan.
Beijing says President Lee is to blame for the suspension of dialogue
with mainland China because he has called for state-to-state relations
between the two sides.
Commercial diplomacy, not gunboat diplomacy, is the key to China’s
future as a constructive partner rather than an emerging threat. Trade is
necessary but nor a sufficient condition for global stability and peace.
Human rights in China are bast secured by openness to the west.
Isolating China could turn it into another North Korea or Cuba. Trade is
a constructive way to change China, but trade is two way street, and the
west must remove its restrictions as well. On the other hand, the
democratic change occurs will ultimately depend on the Chinese
people.
Dec. 16, 1999 ---
The U.S. government has agreed to pay China US$28 million in
compensation for damage to the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, which was
bombed by NATO war planes last May. But, on the other hand, who
could pay the compensation for the 1989 military crackdown on Tiananmen
Square?
We understand that military hardware alone will not ensure Taiwan’s
survival. Nevertheless, Taiwan’s weapon power can increase the chips
on Cross-Strait relations.
The weak condition of Russia’s army contributes to its reliance on
bluster about its nuclear capability. When it comes to nuclear weapons,
it doesn’t take much more than a veiled threat to stop the other side
in its tracks.
“There is no doubt the Russians are saying, ‘let’s stand
up and show the world that you can’t ignore us,’” said
Marshall Goldman, professor of Russian economics at Wellesley College and the associate director of the Davis center for
Russian studies at Harvard University.
… After Russia test-fires new missile (Dec. 15, 1999), mainland
China has continued increasing its military budget since the early 80s
to establish modernized armed forces with a view to prevent U.S.
military intervention in Taiwan and South China Sea issues.
Asia Pacific countries should establish a military mutual trust
mechanism and keep defense transparency to ease mutual suspicion and
curb possible arms races.
Frequent missile testing by mainland China and North Korea has forced
their neighboring countries to seek effective ways to defend their
national security and has triggered a controversy over the development
of theater missile defense systems.
Taiwan’s commitment to contributing to peace and stability in the
Asia Pacific region. We hope the Taiwan’s consistent effort in this
regard can receive recognition and support in the world community.