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  • United States Snubs Taiwan's President

    Why read this: Washington snubs Taiwan’s president in a move sure to please China.

    By Tim Johnson
    Knight Ridder Newspapers

    BEIJING — Taiwan’s president was forced Wednesday to delay a trip to Latin America for a day after Washington snubbed his request for a stopover in New York or San Francisco.

    China claims the affluent and democratically governed island of Taiwan as part of its territory. The Chinese government makes no secret of its dislike for Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian because his support for the island’s continued separation from China.

    Chen surprised U.S. officials in March when he scrapped the National Unification Council, an inactive body in Taiwan that was founded to guide reunification with China. Chen’s move enraged China’s communist government, which holds that the island eventually must reunite with the mainland.

    Reasons for snub

    "The National Unification Council business was the primary reason for this" stopover dispute, said Alexander Huang, an international relations expert at Taiwan’s Tamkang University. Huang said the Bush administration also is waryof offending China, which holds veto power on the U.N. Security Council, as it confronts Iran over its nuclear program.

    Taiwan asked the Bush administration on April 21 for permission for a stopover. Such transit requests have been granted routinely for more than a decade, giving Chen and past Taiwanese leaders a chance to visit Los Angeles, New York, Miami, San Francisco and other major cities.

    Chen delayed his scheduled departure to today as Taiwanese and U.S. negotiators haggled over Taipei’s demand that he be allowed to visit New York or San Francisco for an overnight stay.

    Instead, Chen and his delegation were permitted only a two-hour refueling stopover in Anchorage, Alaska, on their way to Paraguay and Costa Rica. On Chen’s return May 11, he’ll also be allowed a brief refueling stop in Alaska.

    Chen is to visit Paraguay on Friday and Saturday and attend Monday’s inauguration of President-elect Oscar Arias in Costa Rica. Those two nations are among only 25 small countries that recognize Taiwan. China diplomatically isolates the island by insisting that any country that establishes relations with China must give up formal ties with Taiwan.

    Haiti pressured

    Haiti, another longtime ally of Taiwan, told Taipei last week not to send Premier Su Tseng-chang to President-elect Rene Preval’s inauguration May 14. Haiti said China had threatened to end the mandate of U.N. peacekeepers in Haiti if the Taiwanese premier attended. Chinese police are deployed in Haiti as part of the U.N. force.
    Methinks this was also a "payback" of sorts for the diplomatic snafus Chinese President Hu Jintao experienced when he visited Washington, D.C., recently — such as referring to China by Taiwan’s official name and, God forbid, letting that raving madwoman get through security. Plus, on top of that, not treating Hu’s visit as a full-fledged state visit.

    I find the part about Iran hilarious. Hell will likely freeze over first before Beijiing does something public and tangible to support the U.S. and E.U.’s position regarding sanctions on Iran. As if snubbing Taiwan will do anything about that.

    Heh. Well, in the end, it’s all about power. Taiwan is just sh*t out of luck, despite being a real democracy, because it’s small and insignificant compared to communist China.

    I love realpolitik.

    Gatekeeper
    "I may not agree with what you have to say, but I'll die defending your right to say it." — Voltaire

    "Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart." — Confucius

  • #2
    Hu's visit wasn't a state visit. He spent more time with industry leaders than the president.

    That 'crazy' ladydid what was in her right to do as a US citizen. All she wanted was the killing and oppression to stop. More power to her!

    If I was Bush, I'd simply say to Hu, "Iran gets nuclear weapons, Taiwan gets nuclear weapons."
    “As a lifelong member of the Columbia Business School community, I adhere to the principles of truth, integrity, and respect. I will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do.”
    "Capitalism ho!"

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by DaShi
      If I was Bush, I'd simply say to Hu, "Iran gets nuclear weapons, Taiwan gets nuclear weapons."
      Damn, I wish I'd thought of that. That's brilliant.
      The cake is NOT a lie. It's so delicious and moist.

      The Weighted Companion Cube is cheating on you, that slut.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by DaShi
        Hu's visit wasn't a state visit. He spent more time with industry leaders than the president.
        True. I understand Bill Gates got a glimpse of Hu's soul, and came away deeply impressed.

        That 'crazy' ladydid what was in her right to do as a US citizen. All she wanted was the killing and oppression to stop. More power to her!
        Oh, I agree. But "official" Washington — senators, reps and whatnot — didn't appear to be going to bat for her. Money plus power equals folks who don't really give a rat's patootie about others, IMO.

        If I was Bush, I'd simply say to Hu, "Iran gets nuclear weapons, Taiwan gets nuclear weapons."
        To quote Austin Powers (I think): Yeah, baby, yeah!

        Gatekeeper
        "I may not agree with what you have to say, but I'll die defending your right to say it." — Voltaire

        "Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart." — Confucius

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by DaShi

          If I was Bush, I'd simply say to Hu, "Iran gets nuclear weapons, Taiwan gets nuclear weapons."
          I'd consider making it retroactive. If Pakistan and North Korea get nuclear weapons, then so do Taiwan and Tibet.
          He's got the Midas touch.
          But he touched it too much!
          Hey Goldmember, Hey Goldmember!

          Comment


          • #6
            Meh, I see it as payback for unnecessarily rocking the boat. I'd hate to think that if the **** actually hit the fan, the US would be dragged into a Taiwan-China fight.
            "The purpose of studying economics is not to acquire a set of ready-made answers to economic questions, but to learn how to avoid being deceived by economists."
            -Joan Robinson

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by DaShi
              That 'crazy' ladydid what was in her right to do as a US citizen. All she wanted was the "killing" and "oppression" to stop.
              Corrected.

              Originally posted by DaShi
              If I was Bush, I'd simply say to Hu, "Iran gets nuclear weapons, Taiwan gets nuclear weapons."
              To which Hu would reply, "And al-Qaeda as well?"
              (\__/) 07/07/1937 - Never forget
              (='.'=) "Claims demand evidence; extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence." -- Carl Sagan
              (")_(") "Starting the fire from within."

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Sikander
                I'd consider making it retroactive. If Pakistan and North Korea get nuclear weapons, then so do Taiwan and Tibet.
                It already did - doesn't the PRC have nuclear weapons?
                (\__/) 07/07/1937 - Never forget
                (='.'=) "Claims demand evidence; extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence." -- Carl Sagan
                (")_(") "Starting the fire from within."

                Comment


                • #9
                  Taiwan is an independant country; Tibet is an occupied one.
                  The cake is NOT a lie. It's so delicious and moist.

                  The Weighted Companion Cube is cheating on you, that slut.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: United States Snubs Taiwan's President

                    Originally posted by Gatekeeper
                    Heh. Well, in the end, it’s all about power. Taiwan is just sh*t out of luck, despite being a real democracy, because it’s small and insignificant compared to communist China.
                    Ewww, soundbites are always so impressive.

                    It's like saying the governor of Quebec is SoL because he is not allowed to speak with various political big wigs in the US as head of an independent country.

                    Too bad.
                    (\__/) 07/07/1937 - Never forget
                    (='.'=) "Claims demand evidence; extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence." -- Carl Sagan
                    (")_(") "Starting the fire from within."

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by DRoseDARs
                      Taiwan is an independant country; Tibet is an occupied one.
                      But not according to the US
                      (\__/) 07/07/1937 - Never forget
                      (='.'=) "Claims demand evidence; extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence." -- Carl Sagan
                      (")_(") "Starting the fire from within."

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Sikander
                        I'd consider making it retroactive. If Pakistan and North Korea get nuclear weapons, then so do Taiwan and Tibet.
                        I'd like to see the Dalai Lama with nukes.
                        "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." -- JFK Inaugural, 1961
                        "Extremism in the defense of liberty is not a vice." -- Barry Goldwater, 1964 GOP Nomination acceptance speech (not George W. Bush 40 years later...)
                        2004 Presidential Candidate
                        2008 Presidential Candidate (for what its worth)

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          That's rude and unnecessary.

                          Is the US Govt an Apolyton poster?
                          Only feebs vote.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Urban Ranger

                            It already did - doesn't the PRC have nuclear weapons?
                            Well as long as your not bothered, we'll go ahead and drop off a pile of the latest nukes (with instructions) in your province of Taiwan then.
                            He's got the Midas touch.
                            But he touched it too much!
                            Hey Goldmember, Hey Goldmember!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              The cake is NOT a lie. It's so delicious and moist.

                              The Weighted Companion Cube is cheating on you, that slut.

                              Comment

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