A cross-strait caveat

On March 31, 1994, people across the nation were shocked by the news that 24 Taiwanese tourists had been robbed and murdered during an overnight excursion on Qiandao Lake, a popular tourist spot in China's Zhejiang Province. Unfortunately, even after the murder of Kaohsiung City Councilor Lin Ti-chuan in Liaoning Province in July 1998, Taiwanese doing business in China still have not gained any appropriate guarantees for their personal safety.

On Monday, the nation was once again shocked by news from Shanghai that a Taiwanese businessman and his family had been murdered in their home.

According to rough estimates by the Straits Exchange Foundation, 529 Taiwanese business people have been victims of crime in China since 1991. Among them, 58 were murdered and 105 disappeared. The foundation also said the actual figures are much higher. The long chain of unfortunate events indicate that Taiwanese businesspeople can easily become targets of bandits in China. Many of the people mentioned above were harmed by their employees, former employees or security guards. Frequently, entire families are murdered. The security of Taiwanese businesses in China is a real cause for concern.

Apart from bringing harm to the people of Taiwan by inadequate law and order safeguards, China has also spread the SARS epidemic to Taiwan, killing more than 80 people here since it was brought in by businesspeople coming home and Chinese immigrants. Such epidemics are caused by China's bad hygiene, which has long been a threat to Taiwan. The government needs to strengthen epidemic prevention measures on people and cargo coming from China, in order to prevent a repeat of the SARS epidemic. Japanese encephalitis is running amok in southern China. Taiwan needs to be on guard against this as well.

Certainly, some Taiwanese businesses do make money in China, but even more businesses and individuals suffer losses there. China has also brought a major disaster to Taiwan on the economic front. After leaving their debts in Taiwan and going to China to do business, many businesspeople dare not return to Taiwan. The Tungtex group is a prime example. Also, the business migration to China has caused an economic hemorrhaging and extensive unemployment in this country. It has caused the economy to slump, and Taiwan is still overshadowed by economic doldrums.

China has also created political divisions in Taiwan, by trying to force the people of Taiwan to decide between "one China" and "one country on each side" in next year's presidential election. The fierce confrontation between the ruling and opposition camps will once again destroy ethnic harmony and unity in this nation.

The authorities in Beijing have stopped at nothing to attract Taiwanese businesses. They have even concealed China's domestic problems in order to attract investors.

The government must do more to publicize the high risks of investing in China. Most importantly, the government should work to improve this country's investment environment so that local businesses will see no need to invest in China. Meanwhile, Taiwan must also work to attract Taiwanese businesses back from China.

Relations with US good, president's office stresses

By Lin Chieh-yu

STAFF REPORTER

The Presidential Office yesterday stressed that Taiwan's stance in maintaining the cross-strait quo is identical to that of the US government, and that the relationship between the two countries remains sound.

"To maintain cross-strait stability and peace is the main goal of President Chen Shui-bian's administration," said James Huang, the Presidential Office spokesman. "And this position is identical to the US government's position."

Huang stressed that the president's stance has been clear and consistent ever since he made it known in in his inauguration speech more than three years ago and that Chen's position leaves no room for any dubious interpretations.

Huang's remarks were in response to the US government's latest statement, which urged Taiwan and China to refrain from actions or statements that would increase tensions between the two countries or make dialogue more difficult to achieve.

While stressing that Chen's commitment to stability is clear, Huang added that the mutual-trust between Taiwan and the US remains satisfactory.

"The communication between the two countries are open and the relationship is firm, and will not be impacted by any incidental events," Huang said.

He also pointed out that the government has noted the stories in some media that he says misreported the facts about closed-door talks between two the governments' officials. He said the stories were wrong about the US government's attitude toward Taiwan's proposal to carry out a national referendum.

"The Presidential Office has to express regret about some local media's over-interpreted reports recently, which made a wrong judgment based on incorrect information," he said.

Some local press reported last week that when high-ranking officials at the American Institute in Taiwan met with Chen and other Taiwanese officials last week, the Americans openly disagreed with the government's proposal to hold a national referendum.

However, Chen has denied such reports, saying that such speculations were completely incorrect.

Another high-ranking official at the Presidential Office reaffirmed yesterday that the US government did express its concerns about the referendum issue.

But, he added, such concerns should not be regarded as either "pressure" or "opposition."

"The US has long-held concerns about the possibility of us holding a referendum in Taiwan," said the official, "and this time what the US really wants to ask is whether the referendum will involve the independence issue," the official said.

"Therefore, the government will enhance efforts to understand the US government's attitude as well as to ensure our stance will not be misunderstood," he said.

The official also stressed that the US government is in no position to interfere in Taiwan's domestic policy, especially the since the right to hold a referendum is a basic right in any democratic country -- including the US itself.

Referendums top agendas in the US

DEMOCRACY: Two groups from the Legislative Yuan were expected to discuss the issue on their visits to the US, which has largely tried to play down the matter

By Charles Snyder

STAFF REPORTER IN WASHINGTON

Washington's position on referendums in Taiwan remained unclear on Monday, with the US State Department urging both sides of the Taiwan Strait to reduce tensions and avoid statements that raise tensions.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's supporters in Washington struggled to find out what exactly American Institute in Taiwan Director Douglas Paal told President Chen Shui-bian and other leaders last week.

Some saw a potential conflict between reports in Chinese-language newspapers on what Paal said and the comments coming out of the George W. Bush administration in Washington.

The issue was the main topic of conversation Monday night at Taiwan's Twin Oaks mansion in Washington, as two groups of visiting Legislative Yuan members had dinner with US officials and other Taiwan supporters.

Some US conservatives, who have long distrusted Paal as being too "pro-China," felt that he had overstressed the US position opposing the referendums Chen and others would like to hold.

Others said they thought he might have been misquoted.

Neither of the two Legislative Yuan groups had met senior US officials Monday, the first day of their separate visits to Washington, and could shed little authoritative light on the Bush administration's actual position.

PFP Legislator Lin Yu Fang, who told reporters he met with Paal in Taiwan, said Paal referred to a "demarcation line. which you cannot cross."

It seemed to Paal, Lin told reporters Monday night, "that the referendum is something that symbolizes this the crossing of the line."

"Once you cross it," Lin quoted Paal as saying,"everything will be different."

"It seems to me that what he tried to say is that you cannot predict what the PRC might do in response to Taiwan's referendum, and for the United States, the best way to maintain the peace, security and prosperity in the Taiwan area is not to cross the line," Lin told the Taipei Times.

The State Department issued what appeared to be a mild rebuke of Chen.

Department spokesman Phil Reeker, in response to a question at his daily press briefing, said, "We have continued to urge Taiwan on a regular basis, as well as the People's Republic of China, to refrain from actions or statements that increase tension across the Strait or make dialogue more difficult to achieve."

Echoing statements the department has made since Friday, when the original stories about Paal's remarks appeared, Reeker noted that Chen in his May 2000 inaugural address said he would not call a referendum "to change the status quo in regards to the question of independence or unification." Reeker added, "We appreciate that pledge by President Chen and we take it very seriously."

Reeker reiterated US policy toward Taiwan independence, which Bush personally reiterated earlier this month during his meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao, that Washington does "not support Taiwan independence. We have a `one China' policy based on the three communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act," Reeker noted.

Regarding referendums on "non-political issues" of public policy, Reeker said, "Those are clearly decisions [that the] Taiwan authorities have to take themselves."

He distinguished them from actions "that increase tensions or make it more difficult to pursue dialogue," which the US opposes, he said.

John Tkacik, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, called Reeker's comments a "very circumscribed position."

The administration "wants to avoid getting out in front and making it look like the United States is putting any pressure on Taiwan," he said before sitting down to the Twin Oaks dinner. He said the weekend stories out of Taiwan "may have been a bit overblown."

DPP Legislator Parris Chang said the US was handling this affair "very clumsily."

The AIT "is causing considerably agony," he said.

The two groups of legislators, representing basically the legislature's foreign affairs and national defense committees, are expected to meet some key State Department, White House and Pentagon officials over the next two days and are expected to get a better feel for the US position on the referendum issue at those meetings.