Taiwan's President Maintains Hard Line

Washington Post via Yahoo! News ^ | Mon Mar 29,10:05 | Philip P. Pan and David E. Hoffman

[TigerLikesRooster]

Taiwan's President Maintains Hard Line

Mon Mar 29,10:05 PM ET

By Philip P. Pan and David E. Hoffman, Washington Post Foreign Service

TAIPEI, Taiwan, March 29 -- President Chen Shui-bian declared Monday that his narrow reelection victory was a mandate from voters to press ahead with an aggressive agenda to develop Taiwan as an "independent, sovereign country" despite the risk of war with China.

In his first interview since an attempt on his life and an election his opponents are contesting, Chen vowed to go forward with plans to write a new constitution for Taiwan within two years, a move China has said could compel it to seize the island by force. He also condemned the Chinese government for blocking popular demands for democratic reform in Hong Kong, saying its actions have made the Taiwanese people even more determined to reject unification on Beijing's terms.

"The fundamental reason I won this presidential election . . . is because there is a rising Taiwan identity and it has been solidified," Chen said. "I think the Beijing authorities should take heed of this fact and accept the reality."

[TigerLikesRooster]

Well, if Taiwan pushes ahead with her full sovreignty, a serious clash with China is inevitable. It will greately affect the regional economy, which will have a world-wide implication. It will also figure into the current nuclear standoff with N. Korea. What effect does it have on N. Korea and other regional players?

Especially on the American attempt to enlist Chinese help in resolving N. Korean crisis, which has been the on-again and off-again thing until now. China does not want two concurrent crises on her border, Taiwan independence and N. Korean nukes, in my opinion. China either has to settle one of them or totally ignore one and concentrate on the other. Another important question is, "What would N. Korea do in this situation?"

[Avenger]

One gets the feeling that China is really playing the North Korea nuke thing to its benefit. I don't really see them wanting to achieve a full solution to the problem as this will take away one of their bargining chips. The U.S. on the other hand found that Taiwan was very close to developing a nuke some years ago and forced them to dismantle their program. In retrospect perhaps that was a mistake?

[vanmorrison]

I wonder what the Japanese think about this. I would guess that the Japanese would like to see an independent Taiwan as a counterweight to the rising influence of the mainland Chinese. And the standoff with North Korea is beginning to push the Japanese to consider going nuclear. I look for the Japanese to alter their constitution to start rearming, to the chagrin of all of the Asian countries that were laid low during the Pacific War. But, this time around, the Japanese will be on our side.

What could be better?

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #2

Taiwan can "threaten to restart" their nuke bomb research any time.:) America only needs to conveniently look the other way, along with winks and nods.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #3

The former Taiwanese president Lee Deng-hui is doing his part, urging Japan to regain her "Samurai spirit", on his previous visit to Japan not long ago, if I remember correctly.

Japanese ultra-rightwing will come out of the shadow in not so distant future, as a legitimate political force. Yes, they will stay as allies of America this time around. But not necessarily the allies of other American allies in Asia. Kishi Nobuske would be smiling in his grave. He was the architect of the postwar Japanese political order where submerged pre-WWII elements called the shots most of the time. His plan has worked so far. Most of prime ministers have come from a kindergarten he set up to groom his successors. All it takes is another serious international crisis. It could be coupled with a domestic economic crisis as well. There is a view in Japan and in a part of Asia that the worst is over with Japanese economy. However, it is still not clear whether all bad debts are finally taken care of. That may be an wishful thinking.