President Chen Shui-bian (
In a national day speech in Taipei on Wednesday, Chen said: "The international community should not, in fear of China's military might, demand that Taiwan keep quiet. Nor should it, out of concern for commercial interests, turn a blind eye to China's military intimidation and diplomatic suppression of Taiwan, or to its united front economic warfare against Taiwan."
Those remarks seemed directed at US President George W. Bush because in the next breath Chen reminded listeners gathered before the presidential office building that Bush had said: "Free nations are peaceful nations, free nations do not threaten their neighbors, and free nations offer their citizens a hopeful vision for the future."
Turning his attention to China Chen demanded that Beijing "immediately withdraw missiles deployed along its southeastern coast and targeted at Taiwan, stop military exercises simulating attacks on Taiwan, abolish its so-called anti-secession law, and accelerate political and democratic reforms."
To underscore his point, Chen had the nation's armed forces parade on National Day for the first time in 16 years and included trucks hauling Hsiung Feng III (Brave Wind III) missiles.
These new missiles are capable of hitting Chinese warships in the Taiwan Strait, Chinese ports, or some of the 1,000 or so Chinese missiles deployed across the strait and aimed at Taiwan.
The National Day celebration marks the overthrow of China's last imperial dynasty, in 1911. The military parade was traditional until 1991 when it was called off in an effort to ease tensions with China.
Officials of the Bush administration recently have publicly urged and privately demanded that Chen tone down the rhetoric and actions that Washington considers provocative. Washington has repeatedly asserted that it wants the "status quo" maintained between Taiwan and China, with neither side ratcheting up threats against the other.
Until this week, Chen's government had indicated that it would heed Washington's admonitions.
Officials in Taipei had indicated they understood that, ultimately, Taiwan's continued existence separate from China depended on the US being willing to use its military power to defend Taiwan.
Chen, however, has made clear he will have none of it.
"Taiwan and the People's Republic of China are two sovereign, independent nations, and neither exercises jurisdiction over the other. This is a historical fact. This is the status quo across the Taiwan Strait," he said.
The Bush administration particularly deplored Chen's recent request that the nation be admitted to the UN as Taiwan since that would aggravate Beijing.
The application was denied but Chen said: "Our quest to gain entry into the UN will not be abandoned simply because of momentary setbacks. The Government of Taiwan will continue to pursue that goal with unwavering determination."
The State Department, perhaps taken aback by Chen's bold remarks, had no immediate comment. Similarly, no comment came right away from Beijing's official Xinhua news agency.
In Tokyo, however, the chief Cabinet secretary and spokesman for the government, Nobutaka Machimura, cautioned: "It will not help to take actions that would strengthen military tensions."
Behind Chen's strong words, said longtime Asia hands, was a desire to help Democratic Progressive Party presidential nominee Frank Hsieh (
Taiwan-US relations will most likely continue to be rocky so long as Chen is in office, according to a study by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), which prides itself on its non-partisan and apolitical assessments.
The CRS pointed to "mistrust between the Bush and Chen administrations, mixed bilateral messages, [and] a decline in the extent to which Taiwan is willing to fulfill US expectations about its own self-defense."
The analysis also noted "the fragmentation of the once powerful Taiwan lobby" in the US, a perceived declining role for Congress, and the sheer volatility of Taiwan's domestic politics.
Richard Halloran is a writer based in Hawaii.
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