DeLay blasts US' China policy

FROM THE HIP: The US House majority leader said that as long as Taiwan was willing to defend itself and uphold the principles of democracy, the US should offer its protection

By Charles Snyder

STAFF REPORTER IN WASHINGTON

"The proposition of a communist takeover of Taiwan should be inconceivable.To refuse to say so, for fear of upsetting Beijing, is not tact; it is infantilism."－Tom DeLay, US House majority leader

In a speech broadly critical of the continuation of Washington's one-China policy, US House majority leader Tom DeLay has called the possibility of a Chinese takeover of Taiwan "inconceivable" and strongly linked Taiwan's security to the security of the US and the Pacific region.

DeLay delivered the keynote address to a half-day conference at the American Enterprise Institute on the prospects for a US-Taiwan free trade agreement (FTA), but went far beyond the FTA issue to deliver a ringing denunciation of the one-China policy that has governed US policy since Washington switched diplomatic relations from Taipei to Beijing at the end of 1978.

His comments came one day after US President George W. Bush, in a meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao, reaffirmed Washington's "one China" policy.

"The president repeated our policy of a `one China' policy based on the three communiques, the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) and no support for Taiwan's independence," a senior administration official told reporters in Evian, France, after the Bush-Hu meeting on the sidelines of the G8 meeting. "The president said we don't support independence," the official said.

The Chinese, "basically accepted that, and said, okay, that's positive," the official said. He quoted Bush as saying "in that context, if necessary, we will help Taiwan to the extent possible to defend itself" by providing defensive weapons as called for in the TRA.

DeLay called the "one-China" policy a "diplomatic contrivance" which over the years has been elevated by some to the status of "doctrine."

"Some have wanted to transform this diplomatic nuance into a recognition of Beijing's territorial claim over Taiwan: a recognition that has not and never will exist," DeLay said.

Some people, he said, "believe America's primary objective in Asia is the preservation of the `one China' policy, but the `one China' policy like the peace process in the Middle East is a means to an end, not the end itself."

"Luckily, we now have a president who understands the foreign policy of a great nation must be a rock of moral and political clarity, not a pillow of diplomatic pretensions," DeLay said.

Using terms to describe China as a "backward, corrupt anachronism run by decrepit tyrants, and its leaders as "oppressive and dangerous men" with a "murderous ideology," DeLay said that "the proposition of a communist takeover of Taiwan should be inconceivable."

"To refuse to say so, for fear of upsetting Beijing, is not tact: it is infantilism," DeLay told the crowd of some 200 Washington insiders and China specialists, including Chairwoman of the American Institute in Taiwan and Taiwan's de-facto ambassador Therese Shaheen and Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office chief Chen Chien-jen.

Noting that Bush has said the US would do "whatever it took" to help Taiwan defend itself, DeLay said, "as long as a free and democratic Taiwan, willing to defend itself, needs help securing its borders we will be there."

DeLay said that Washington's commitment to a democratic Taiwan fits in with the Bush administration's policy of promoting democracy and freedom in the world and said the US must expand its relationships with Taiwan and other democracies in the region.

"An economically robust and militarily secure Taiwan is essential to the security of the US and the Pacific Rim," he said, calling Taiwan "an economic and political ally of the US."

On Taiwan's prospects for a free trade agreement, DeLay pledged to press US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick to place Taiwan on a higher place in the queue of countries awaiting negotiations on an agreement.

He also pledged early action on a resolution introduced in the House on March 18 expressing the "sense of Congress" that Zoellick's office should enter into FTA talks with Taiwan.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue yesterday pointedly ignored DeLay's remarks.

"It would be better for a US government spokesperson to explain," said Zhang in a press conference when asked by reporters to comment on DeLay's statements.

Chien says nation won't give up participatory efforts

By Chang Yun-ping

STAFF REPORTER

Taiwan will never give up its efforts to participate in international organizations, regardless of China's objections, Minister of Foreign Affairs Eugene Chien said yesterday.

Chien made the comment in a special report at the DPP's Central Executive Committee in which he addressed the nation's diplomatic challenges and behavior, given China's recent moves to block the country from joining various international organizations.

Even though US President George W. Bush said on Monday that he opposed Taiwanese independence, Chien told reporters yesterday that it has been the US position to oppose both Taiwan independence and China's use of force against Taiwan.

"In addition, it has also been the US government's stance to adhere to the `one China' policy as well as the three communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act," he said.

Compared with the administration of former US president Bill Clinton, which was more vague in terms of relations with Taiwan, the Bush administration is more clear-cut.

"Judging from the US statements, the US has not changed its stance in order to ensure the peace and security of Taiwan," Chien said.

On China's effort to block Taiwan's WHO bid, Chien was quoted as saying yesterday that Beijing had not only used its position in the health body, but had also mobilized its resources in international economic and trade negotiations to trip up Taiwan.

"China's delegation to the World Health Assembly, led by the vice premier and health minister, Wu Yi, symbolized China elevating its maneuvers from dispatching health officials to mobilizing economic and trade negotiators to keep Taiwan out of the WHO," Chien said.

In addition, Chien said China is demanding Taiwan downgrade its status at the WTO to the "Office of Permanent Representative" and is insisting that the nation's official documents avoid any titles that indicate sovereignty .

Mason Yang, director of the DPP's Information and Culture Department, said Taiwan would not exclude the possibility of applying to join the WHO as a nation.

Meanwhile, the DPP Central Executive Committee ruled that DPP Chairman Chen Shui-bian will enlist a candidate to stand in the Hualien County commissioner election scheduled for Aug. 2.

No volunteer from the party had registered for the race as of the end of last month.

"The candidate will not necessarily be a DPP member," DPP Secretary-General Chang Chun-hsiung said yesterday.

Demand a referendum

At the World Health Assembly in Geneva last month, Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi and China's representative to the UN in Geneva, Sha Zukang, used extremely crude and unreasonable language toward journalists and other people from Taiwan. "Who cares about your Taiwan?" was on such quote. When the scene was broadcast on local TV, the insults pierced through the hearts of Taiwanese people like a sword.

These officials are unwilling to apologize for having spread the SARS virus throughout their country and to the rest of the world. When did they ever care about diseases from China that have beset this nation over the years? The foot-and-mouth outbreak of six years ago and today's SARS epidemic have both dealt serious blows to the lives of Taiwanese.

With SARS, Taiwan's need to join international groups such as the World Health Organization (WHO) has become even more urgent. However, apart from relying on the government's diplomatic prowess, we also need a clear-cut endorsement from the public to serve as a legal basis for pushing more aggressive government action on the one hand, and on the other, to stop certain political parties from using excuses to prevent the government from acting on public opinion.

During the KMT era, government power was primarily controlled by the Chiang family and its key proteges, backed by mainlanders who moved to Taiwan along with the KMT government. They constituted only 15 percent of the population and were fearful of referendums because they stood to lose the legal basis for their rule. For this reason the government always opposed the passage of any referendum law.

The government used to view referendums as tools for deposing the Chiang family or the KMT government. As a result, the channels through which people could express their will to the international community were blocked. The failure of government policies to fully reflect public opinion constitutes a major dereliction of duty on the part of public representatives.

If people do not act quickly to defend their civil rights, we will face the serious threat of them being sold out by politicians. PFP Chairman James Soong, who is now the vice presidential candidate for the pan-blue camp, claimed recently that he would get Taiwan into the WHO within two years under the "one China" principle if he and KMT Chairman Lien Chan were elected. Soong and Lien both served as policy-makers in the KMT government for many years. Haven't they already tried to get Taiwan into international organizations such as the UN and the WHO under the "one China" policy?

Didn't their efforts fail? How can they claim with such certainty that they can get Taiwan into the WHO? Soong needs to clearly explain his clever plans to the public. Otherwise, people will worry about what he is actually trying to sell, or that he might be offering a poisonous recipe that will cause Taiwan to lose its independence and self-determination forever. In view of this, the need for the public to demand a referendum has become even more urgent.

China owes apology

The title of your editorial ("China butchers Taiwan's feelings," June 1, page 8) can also characterize the general attitude of China to Taiwan. It is difficult, if not impossible, to mention a single thing China did or said that pleased Taiwan in the past 50 years or so. Taiwan is better off without such a "fatherland."

In spite of having endless unpleasant events with China, Taiwanese should appreciate China's honesty in saying that "No one really cares about you." Indeed, China has tried everything in an attempt to own Taiwan, even threatening Taiwanese with more than 400 missiles. China has also spread the SARS virus to more than 30 countries, including Taiwan, without even expressing apologies or condolences to its victims.

If Libya can offer compensation to families of the Lockerbie victims, China should voluntarily offer compensation to families of SARS victims throughout the world.

China has isolated Taiwan more diligently than SARS from the world community. Taiwan has to find a way out of this life imprisonment. Taiwan must appeal to the world for international justice and human rights for Taiwanese. It is also time for some of Taiwan's politicians to wake up from their dreams about China. For example, PFP Chairman James Soong recently pledged that, if elected next year, he would lead Taiwan to join the WHO in two years under the "one China" policy. Soong does not think logically at all. If Taiwan had accepted this policy, it could have been admitted to the WHO as an observer this year. If Soong wants to accept this policy, he should not run next year because China already has a new president, Hu Jintao.

Charles Hong

Columbus, Ohio

US expert concerned for China's economic future

TOUGH TIMES: Researcher Charles Wolf Jr. said in the `Los Angeles Times' that Chinese society is close to breaking point because of several structural deficiencies

CNA , LOS ANGELES

China's remarkable economic gains could easily slip away, a senior American researcher in international economics said in an article carried on Monday by the Los Angeles Times.

Charles Wolf Jr., a senior economic advisor and corporate fellow at Rand Corp said in the article that there are potential fault lines that could severely hinder or even reverse China's economic growth, with dramatic consequences for Chinese society, government and party structure.

He said that among those fault lines are unemployment, poverty and social unrest. The potential for social unrest hangs over the economy. Income inequality between rural and urban areas continues to feed rural-to-urban migration and rising urban unemployment. Should joblessness and social unrest worsen, growth in the next 10 years could annually decline by as much as 0.8 percent.

He said it's difficult to estimate how the country's pervasive corruption may crimp its economic growth. Corruption hurts economic activity. Were corrupt practices to worsen, China's annual growth rate could diminish by about 0.5 percent.

Wolf said the AIDS-associated annual reductions in China's GDP growth could be between 1.8 percent and 2.2 percent. The possible spread of SARS, although less disabling than AIDS, could further impede growth.

China's unreliable water supplies will significantly affect its economic growth. Failure to solve its water shortages could reduce China's annual GDP growth by 1.5 percent to 1.9 percent.

He said the major risk for China's growth is less related to its increasing reliance on oil imports than to crude and gas prices. If prices surge and remain high for a decade, China's annual growth could fall by between 1.2 percent and 1.4 percent.

A recent Rand study estimated that a sustained reduction of US$10 billion a year in foreign direct investment might cut China's annual GDP growth by between 0.6 percent and 1.6 percent.

Wolf said that although the status quo in relations between China and Taiwan broadly benefits the two countries and the US, tensions might escalate into a conflict, with consequences that could lower China's annual growth between 1 percent and 1.3 percent.

Were all these fault lines to fail simultaneously, China's annual growth would be reduced between 7.4 percent and 10.7 percent, resulting in negative numbers for its economic performance as a whole, Wolf said.

The probability of this happening is extremely low, but the chance that no fault line will fail is low as well. More probable, several factors might cluster because of their interdependence, he said.