During an interview last week in Beijing, US Secretary of State Colin Powell made some surprising remarks regarding the cross-strait relationship, saying that "Taiwan is not independent. It does not enjoy sovereignty as a nation," and that the two sides should move forward to a "peaceful reunification."
Powell's comments clearly deviated from the US policy of supporting "peaceful resolution," "opposing any unilateral change of the status quo by either side of the Taiwan Strait," and "doing [its] best to assist Taiwan in self defense." The deviation became the center of public concern.
President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen's statements were not only a most serious response to Powell's inappropriate comments, but even more importantly a declaration to the international community that Taiwan is an independent and sovereign country.
Powell's trip to China at a time when the US presidential election was about to enter the final phase suggests an intention to both seek Beijing's assistance in resolving the issue of nuclear weapons in North Korea, as well as the hope of winning some brownie points for US President George W. Bush in the election. Therefore, hoping to get a helping hand from China, Powell, as expected, said things in order to please China.
Actually, no signs indicate that there is any change in the US policy toward Taiwan. US State Department Deputy Spokesman Adam Ereli indicated during a routine press conference that the US policy toward Taiwan has not changed, and that the US hopes the two sides can resolve their differences through peaceful dialogues.
Moreover, Powell did not state any new policy in Beijing. On Wednesday, during a meeting with Taiwan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen (
Some US academics further expressed that Powell is not especially familiar with Asian or cross-strait affairs and that Powell obviously made a slip of the tongue. The Center for Strategic and International Studies pointed out that Powell's statement that Taiwan independence is incompatible with the US "one China" policy was an example of his misstatement, because the US policy does not take any specific stance on the ultimate resolution of the cross-strait issue. If the two sides of the Taiwan Strait were to reach an agreement on Taiwan independence, then such independence would not contradict the US policy.
Actually, although the US maintains a formal diplomatic relationship with China, while making only private exchanges with Taiwan, close trade, economic, cultural, academic and technological interactions exist between the US and Taiwan. The two countries also share common strategic interests and values on political democracy. Despite the lack of official government interactions, the development of substantive ties between the two countries has not been hampered.
Although Powell may have chosen the wrong words, the focus of his formal discussions with Beijing was to push for dialogue between the two sides, oppose any unilateral change of the status quo by either side and keep the promise of arms sales to Taiwan. This confirms that there has been no change in US policy.
However, though Powell may have made an inadvertent mistake, one cannot deny that his remarks contradicted reality, and injured the feelings and interests of the 23 million people in Taiwan. Therefore, the people of this country must ask that the US issue stronger clarifications and promises. Powell must also openly apologize to the people of Taiwan.
US policy may remain unchanged. But as the secretary of state of the most powerful country in the world -- who has praised Taiwan as a success story -- it is a grave insult to the people of Taiwan for Powell to put down one of America's long and loyal friends by saying that it is not an independent country and does not enjoy sovereignty.
The alien colonial regimes that have ruled this island in the past 400 years include those of the Spanish, Dutch, the Qing dynasty and Japan. During this period, the people of Taiwan were unable to exercise self-rule. As the foreign powers fought for sovereignty over Taiwan, China saw the island as a barbaric, alien land. Claims such as "Taiwan is part of China," and "Taiwan has always belonged to China" are recent fabrications, and conflict with historical reality.
After the end of the World War II, the Allies ordered Chiang Kai-shek (
Therefore, the Republic of China is, as former president Lee Teng-hui (
The popularly-elected government holds effective rule, the country independently conducts its foreign affairs and national defense, and the nation's population is larger than that of most other countries in the world. Taiwan's situation completely meets with the criteria for an independent sovereign country, regardless of whether it is the right to self-determination proclaimed by the late US president Woodrow Wilson, the UN Charter, or any Western discourse on statehood.
From being a colony, subject to the mercy and whim of other countries, Taiwan has developed into an independent democratic country. This is a glorious chapter of the history of mankind. The existence of Taiwan is a fact. The economic and democratic development of Taiwan is, as Powell characterized it, "a success story."
No politician or official from another country, whether as part of an effort to pander to China, or through a slip of the tongue or compelled by international politics, can deny this success story. The reality of Taiwan's sovereignty and independence cannot be changed or disrupted by others.
Therefore, while it's comforting to know that US policy toward Taiwan has not changed, the people of Taiwan nevertheless must express their strong regret and protest Powell's comments, which have insulted Taiwan's dignity.
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