The Bush administration has warned President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to exercise restraint in his efforts to write a new constitution for Taiwan, saying that if he goes too far in Washington's eyes, he will risk facing the loss of American support for the new document.
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia James Kelly delivered the warning in testimony to a hearing of the House International Relations Committee.
The hearing, which was held to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, provided Kelly with the opportunity to give the most detailed and comprehensive explanation of US policy toward Taiwan since last month's presidential elections.
"There are limitations with respect to what the United States will support as Taiwan considers possible changes to its Constitution," Kelly said. "We are uncertain about the means being discussed for changing the Constitution. We do no one any favors if we are unclear in our expectations or obfuscate where those limitations are.
"The president's policy regarding our opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo will be reinforced in this dialogue with Taiwan about its political evolution," he added.
Kelly did not spell out the areas or the methods with which the Bush administration takes issues, and he did not say whether Washington's objections centered on proposals for a referendum on the new constitution.
His comments were a reference to US President George W. Bush's statement last December after his meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (
A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said later that Washington would not object to constitutional revisions "for the purpose of good government, strengthening democracy. That's a legitimate goal," he said.
Washington would object to a new constitution that changed the status quo, he said.
"President Chen Shui-bian has said that the status quo is that Taiwan is already an independent country. We do not endorse that view. We took that as a political statement," the senior official said. "We would take a dim view of any effort to enshrine that concept that Taiwan is an independent sovereign country in the process of constitutional revision."
Nevertheless, the official said, "at the end of the day, Taiwan is a democracy, and Taiwan should, if the people support it and think it's necessary, revise its Constitution."
The issue is the "strategic context" of any changes, the official said. That would depend on whether cross-strait dialogue was resumed, "the degree to which Beijing feels that the intention is not to separate Taiwan," and other factors.
"Right now, the context, or the frame of the environment, for this is not good," the official said, "because there is deep suspicion around the world that the intention is to use constitutional revision to enshrine sovereignty and independence, and the entire world has an interest in peace and stability in the Strait."
"Chen Shui-bian's Cabinet knows this, and they'll have to figure out the right ways to answer these concerns around the world," he said.
Kelly's comments on the Constitution were coupled with a warning to Chen to take Beijing seriously when it threatens hostilities over what it sees as Chen's moves toward independence through such acts as holding referendums and framing a new constitution.
"It would be irresponsible of us and of Taiwan's leaders to treat [China's bellicose] statements as empty threats," Kelly said. "PRC military modernization and the increasing threat to Taiwan indicate to us that Beijing is preparing itself to react. We encourage the people of Taiwan to regard this threat equally seriously.
"We look to President Chen to exercise the kind of responsible, democratic and restrained leadership that will be necessary to ensure a peaceful and prosperous future for Taiwan," he said.
Moves toward independence "carry the potential for a response from the PRC, a dangerous, objectionable and foolish response that could destroy much of what Taiwan has built and crush its hopes for the future," Kelly said.
Also See Stories:
Taiwan's WHO bid gets boost from US
Government considering pushing for a vote
US Congress presses for Chen visit
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
One of two tropical depressions that formed off Taiwan yesterday morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. The weather system is expected to move northwest as it builds momentum, possibly intensifying this weekend into a typhoon, which would be called Mitag, Lee said. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is forecast to approach the southeast of Taiwan on Monday next week and pass through the Bashi Channel
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
RSS