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.
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