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| East Asia |
| Taiwan: Independence vote still on |
| 2003-12-10 |
| Edited for brevity. Brushing aside a warning from George W. Bush, Taiwan’s president reiterated his plan to hold a referendum alongside elections next March, but said neither independence nor the status quo with China would be at issue. Chen Shui-bian, addressing a news conference on Wednesday after Bush delivered his surprise warning during a White House visit by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, did not say what the referendum would be about. But earlier he suggested it would pressure China to remove missiles aimed at the island, which Beijing sees as a breakaway province that must one day, even by force, be returned to the fold. "We want to show China and the world that military force cannot be used to solve the problem of the Taiwan Strait," Chen said after the Democratic Progressive Party officially confirmed him as its presidential candidate for the March 20 election. "Taiwan people have the right to say loudly that they oppose missiles and are for democracy, oppose war and are for peace," he said. "This is nothing to do with independence. There is no intention to change the status quo." Chinese Premier Wen, who sat alongside Bush when he made his remarks at the White House on Tuesday, welcomed what amounted to a nuanced hardening of the usual line that the United States does "not support" independence moves by Taiwan. Taiwan’s supporters in the United States expressed concern, but the island’s financial markets took Bush’s comments mostly in their stride. The main stock index slipped less than one percent, mostly due to a fall on NASDAQ. The local dollar was firm. Keep that flame burning, Chen! |
| Posted by:Dar |
| #13 CS, I am hoping that Taiwan tells the US to jam it and acts in its own self interest. Maybe some technology secrets that Clinton sold to the PRC would up in Taiwan and they can make a missile defence. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-12-10 9:34:28 PM |
| #12 SH, the only part of the PRC economy that is working is that in the 'special' economic zones (Capitalist testing area). Unless the PRC goes full over to Democracy and abandons the communists model of econmoics, they will continue to slog along econmonically. I give it another gneration and they will give up on the great socialists way. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2003-12-10 7:10:27 PM |
| #11 "Unleash Chiang Kai-Shek!" _________________________borgboy |
| Posted by: borgboy 2003-12-10 5:19:42 PM |
| #10 From the American standpoint this is a bad time for anyone to rattle China's cage, but this may be a perfect time from Taiwan's standpoint: 1. China has no amphibious capbility 2. Taiwan has substantial defensive capabilities 3. China cannot ignore Korea 4. China's economic growth is dependent on American good-will 5. China's missile technology is improving 6. China may later have the GDP to concentrate on destabilizing or overrunning Taiwan, but currently China has many competing goals and commitments. Taiwan seems to be acting independently in a soveriegn manner in the interests of it's own security. I wish South Korea would do the same. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2003-12-10 4:38:09 PM |
| #9 Ship - Yes to both. They are a one family dog, too. Intensely loyal. Got a helluva bite, too! We had one when I was a kid - suffered in the Texas summers. We'd spray him with the hose everyday - and when you wet down all that lion fur, he was all shoulders, neck, and head - like a pit. |
| Posted by: ,com 2003-12-10 1:02:14 PM |
| #8 Chow Chow would be more fitting...big fluffy dog w/a lot of bark I'm not certain but isn't the Chow silent and potentially vicious? The purple tongued pup? |
| Posted by: Shipman 2003-12-10 12:10:54 PM |
| #7 I'm working on that Steve. It's alot harder for me as I've got to kidnap the Luckies as they leave the taverns. It's a real bugger! |
| Posted by: Lucky 2003-12-10 11:57:29 AM |
| #6 JH -- let's compromise & call them a Shar-pei... |
| Posted by: snellenr 2003-12-10 11:49:52 AM |
| #5 Too flustered trying to post immediately and beat the Army of Steves! Bwahahaha! All tremble in fear before the Army of Steves! |
| Posted by: Steve 2003-12-10 11:43:51 AM |
| #4 What we really need to be careful for is China taking action before Taiwan does. The Chinese may launch a pre-emptive strike against Taiwan if they do go any further down the Independence Road. Would that be stupid, yes. But Communism is in itself stupid, so this is entirely possible. Unlikely it will even come close to this though. |
| Posted by: Charles 2003-12-10 11:21:44 AM |
| #3 snellenr - Chow Chow would be more fitting...big fluffy dog w/a lot of bark....the Doberman's bite is indeed a lot worse then its bark (I have one, believe me.) - very much unlike China. |
| Posted by: Jarhead 2003-12-10 11:19:25 AM |
| #2 Hmm... I really should have titled that "Referendum vote still on". It's misleading the way I wrote it. Too flustered trying to post immediately and beat the Army of Steves! snellenr--I agree. I admire their spunk and unwillingness to back down, but they aren't going the whole nine yards and asserting independence. The longer this "status quo" goes on--fifty-four years running now--the better their chances for eventual independence, but you're right: now's not the time! |
| Posted by: Dar 2003-12-10 11:09:21 AM |
| #1 Hopefully, the Taiwanese realize that we have a lot on our plate now and don't appreciate the way they're teasing the Doberman next door. Hopefully, we've also let the mainland know that we aren't so busy that we can't help Taiwan dish out a healthy serving of Whup-ass on that Doberman if he tries to bite back... |
| Posted by: snellenr 2003-12-10 11:02:14 AM |