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East Asia
U.S. Welcomes Taiwan’s Changed Referendum
2004-01-17
The White House appeared satisfied Friday with the new, toned-down language that Taiwan’s leader announced for a planned March 20 referendum. Originally, Taiwan’s president, Chen Shui-bian, had pushed for a strongly worded, China-bashing vote demanding the communist giant withdraw nearly 500 missiles aimed at Taiwan. But with Washington fearing an upset of the delicate balance in the Taiwan Strait, that language prompted President Bush to express serious concerns. Though Bush didn’t specifically oppose the referendum, he warned that he opposed "any unilateral decision by either China or Taiwan to change the status quo." The rebuke was considered especially sharp, partly because it was delivered as China’s new premier, Wen Jiabao, sat by his side in the White House.
Bad move, sends a signal that we won’t stand by democratic governments.
On Friday, Chen announced official, two-part ballot language that makes the referendum more of a policy vote than a protest directed at China. The referendum will ask voters whether Taiwan should purchase more advanced anti-missile weapons if China doesn’t redeploy its missiles and renounce the use of force against Taiwan, and if the Taiwan government should negotiate with China. "We certainly welcome any statements that confirm Taiwan’s commitment to the status quo now and in the years ahead," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said. McClellan said the Bush administration neither opposes nor endorses the referendum. But, he added: "We understand, however, that there would be no relationship between the outcome of the proposed referendum and Taiwan’s commitment to the status quo."
I think maintaining the status quo for an extended period, for instance until Doomsday, accomplishes what the Taiwanese want, without jiggling our elbow when we're picking at the underpinnings of Iran, Syria, and North Korea.
Secretary of State Colin Powell said he was examining Chen’s statements and could not say if he was satisfied with them. But he said: "I think President Chen has shown a little flexibility in the way those two questions have been worded." Citing Bush’s opposition to unilateral actions by either Taiwan or China, Powell said Chen "knows very clearly what our position is with respect to any move toward independence. He knows very clearly what our position is with respect to how the reconciliation between the two sides ultimately must take place."
"We got other fish to fry right now, Chen. Don’t do nuttin stoopid."
Posted by:Steve White

#2  In terms of the Pres saying this whielthe CHinese Premier is sitting there, lets just remember the old maxim:

Diplomacy is saying "Nice Doggy" while you reach for the big stick nearby.

That, and they may be wanting to let China rot a bit more from the inside in hopes of a USSR type collapse over a decade or so. We blew it with Tianamen the first time, but they cant keep the cork in forever.
Posted by: OldSpook   2004-1-17 9:32:41 PM  

#1  Granted we are engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is the real possibility of war on the Korean Peninsula and a major dust up in the Taiwan Straits is not in our interest. But soner or later we are going to come face to face with the reality that it is either us or Red China.

Somehow in all the happy talk after the fall of the Soviet Union, we forgot there remains a major communist power trying to extend its claws across the entire Pacific Rim.
Posted by: Douglas De Bono   2004-1-17 10:08:47 AM  

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