Posted on 09/16/2002 8:36:48 PM PDT by tallhappy
By WILLIAM FOREMAN Associated Press Writer
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)--Taiwan's feisty first lady said Sunday she has no plans to mention the island's sovereignty dispute with China during her upcoming trip to Washington--unless someone asks her about it.
If reporters in the United States do bring it up, Wu Shu-chen will argue that Taiwan definitely is a sovereign nation, she told The Associated Press.
``If we're not an independent nation, how could I be a first lady?'' Wu said in the palm tree-shaded presidential residence in southwest Taipei.
Wu, who leaves Thursday, will be the first Taiwanese first lady to visit Washington in about half a century. The U.S. capital long has been off-limits to Taiwanese leaders and other symbolic figures from the island because of intense pressure from China.
Beijing insists that self-ruled, democratic Taiwan is part of China. The communist government argues that the island's leaders should not be allowed the diplomatic privileges given other international leaders.
But President Bush has adopted a friendlier policy toward Taiwan, and Wu's visit is the latest example of Washington's new flexibility. Her nine-day trip includes stops in New York and Los Angeles.
Wu acknowledged that her visit might cause tensions between the United States and China but said Americans would support her and her husband, President Chen Shui-bian.
``World leaders should have the freedom to visit other countries, and I think Americans will be able to agree with this,'' she said in her raspy, low voice.
If she ever has a chance to meet Chinese President Jiang Zemin's wife, Wu said she would invite her to Taiwan to ``experience the air of freedom.''
The first lady plans to speak at the National Arts Club in New York on Friday. She also will speak at the American Enterprise Institute think tank in Washington on Sept. 24 and attend a congressional cocktail reception in her honor Sept. 25.
Wu said her speeches would focus on Taiwan's success in evolving from authoritarian rule to democracy. She sees no need to mention Taiwan's claims that it is not part of the communist People's Republic of China.
``I don't need to keep repeating this. It's just like I don't have to keep emphasizing that I'm a woman,'' she said.
Traveling abroad is difficult for the frail, wheelchair-bound Wu, paralyzed from the waist down since a truck hit her in 1985 during Taiwan's repressive martial law era.
The driver, a farmer, said it was an accident and he never was charged with a crime. But Wu repeated her assertion that the incident was a politically motivated murder attempt, noting that the truck ran over her three times.
``The driver said he was just returning home, but that road absolutely wasn't the road to his home,'' she added.
Wu's face and voice showed no signs of anger while discussing the event. Later, her Maltese dog, Honey, jumped on her lap and she stroked the dog's wispy white fur.
She joked about seeing sonograms of her first grandson, whose birth is expected next month.
``He's got a big nose, just like the president,'' she said.
The last Taiwanese first lady to visit Washington was Soong Mayling, wife of the late Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. The glamorous and urbane Soong, better known as Madame Chiang, was one of her husband's most important emissaries as she lobbied for U.S. support in fighting Japan during World War II.
Later, while Chiang Kai-shek's China-based Nationalist government battled communists in a civil war, the U.S.-educated Madame Chiang--fluent in English--frequently went to Washington seeking support. Chiang lost the war, and his government fled to Taiwan in 1949.
Wu said she and Madame Chiang, who is now 105 and lives in New York, are completely different people.
``I heard that her English was better than her Chinese,'' said Wu, who speaks little English.
Another big difference, Wu said, was that Madame Chiang's husband was a dictator, while her husband is a democratically elected president.
She also recalled how Madame Chiang was often called a ``first lady for life.'' Wu said she would never accept such a title.
``When my term as first lady is over, that's it,'' she said. ``I'm going to be an ordinary person again.''
But I don't think that's planned. It should be.
From your keyboard to Laura Bush's dayplanner.
Because it's the right thing to do.
IMO the Red Chinese definitely need some slapping around. And it needn't necessarily be diplomatic...but that's another matter entirely ;)
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