Posted on 11/09/2004 4:39:42 PM PST by CHARLITE
Secretary of State Colin Powell stepped in it once again this time instructing the Taiwanese that their goal in life should be reunification with a murderous, police state.
For nearly four years, Powell has been the weak link in Bushs foreign policy. Of all the administrations top officials, he was the last to come on board in support of military intervention in Iraq.
Powell perfectly reflects the State Department mindset. In almost any situation, he favors appeasement over confrontation -- sacrificing U.S. allies (Israel, Taiwan) to win brownie points with thugs (Arab regimes, the Peoples Republic of China).
But what Powell did on a trip to China last week went well beyond the usual State Department shenanigans. Like encouraging a pyromaniac to play with matches and gasoline, his comments were inflammatory, bordering on lethal.
In an interview with Hong Kongs Phoenix TV, on October 25th, Powell said both China and Taiwan should move forward towards the day when we will see a peaceful unification.
Just to be sure he wasnt misunderstood, in a CNN interview the following day, Powell opined that both sides should exercise restraint and do nothing to prejudice a reunification that all parties are seeking.
Aiming a few well-placed kicks at the groin of a former ally, Powell informed the Hong Kong station: Taiwan is not independent and does not enjoy sovereignty as a nation, and that remains our policy, our firm policy. Taiwans president, Chen Shui-bian hotly replied: Taiwan is absolutely a sovereign and independent country. It does not belong to the Peoples Republic of China.
If not a nation in its own right, what does Powell think Taiwan is: a mythical place (like Never-Never Land), an uncharted and largely uninhabited island, or a rebel province (Beijings characterization of democratic Taiwan)?
Washington may say Taiwan isnt independent, but invariably acts like it is. Between 1980 and 2002, the U.S. delivered over $20 billion in arms to Taiwan. (Are we arming a province in revolt?) America doesnt sell military hardware to the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Whats the difference?
Our relations with the Republic of China on Taiwan are governed by the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which obligates us to provide the island with the weapons to maintain its independence.
If Taiwan doesnt enjoy sovereignty, as Powell claims, why are we pledged to its defense? America is under no obligation to protect Liverpool or Haifa, apart from the countries in which they are situated.
For the past 25 years, we have had de facto diplomatic relations with Taipei. Our embassy (in all but name) in Taiwan is called the American Institute in Taiwan. AIT is has a staff of over 300, and is directed by diplomats on leave from the State Department. It issues visas to the United States, provides consular services and in every other regard represents U.S. interests on the island.
In America, the nonexistent government of Taiwan is represented by Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles and other major cities. They perform the same functions as AIT, including promoting trade. (Taiwan is the worlds 14th. largest exporter and 16th. major importer.)
Every year, tens of thousands of Taiwanese enter this country as tourists or students with Taiwanese passports. If Taiwan isnt independent, why are its passports recognized by governments the world over?
Under international law, Taiwan has all of the attributes of sovereignty. The Montevido Convention on Rights and Duties of States, signed by the United States in 1931, says an independent state has the following characteristics: 1) a permanent population, 2) a defined territory, 3) a government that controls said territory and 4) the capacity to enter into relations with other sovereign states.
Taiwan has a defined territory (nearly 36,000 sq. miles). Its population of 23 million makes it larger than 60 percent of UN member states. Not only does Taiwan have a government in control of its territory (since 1949), but one freely chosen by the Taiwanese.
In that Taiwan is peaceful, prosperous, stable and democratic it clearly has the capacity to enter into state-to-state relations.
The Montevideo Convention provides that the political existence of a state is independent of recognition by other states, also, the recognition of a state may be express or tacit. Only about two dozen countries officially recognize Taiwans statehood. Almost every nation tacitly acknowledges the fact that Taiwan is a separate country.
Powells nuttiest notion was his assertion that both sides seek unification or reunification.
The Taiwanese have less interest in being ruled by Beijing that the Irish have in being reunited with the United Kingdom. In 20th century, the Irish were ruled from London for 21 years. In the same period, the Taiwanese were controlled by Beijing for all of 4 years.
Citizens of Taiwan elect their leaders and shape government policy. Their rights including freedom of speech, press, property and religion are scrupulously protected by an independent judiciary.
In a 2004 report, Freedom House describes the status of human rights in the Peoples Republic (non-existent) succinctly: Ordinary Chinese enjoy few basic rights, opposition parties are illegal, Chinese jails hold thousands of political prisoners, torture is widespread in prisons and detention centers, and the judiciary is used as a tool of political control.
Somehow, I dont think that even Colin Powell really believes the free people of Taiwan are just dying to be part of this oppressive system. The Taiwanese remember Tiananmen Square, even if our State Department has forgotten.
Powell later attempted to clarify his remarks, without actually retracting them. A State Department spokesman said Americas position continues to be governed by the One-China policy, in combination with the Taiwan Relations Act. But the damage was done.
For decades, Democratic and Republican administrations hewed to a carefully nuanced policy: There is one China (whatever that means). Taiwan is part of this undefined entity. We insist on a peaceful resolution of tensions between Beijing and Taipei (whatever the outcome may be). And we will defend Taiwan against the use of force.
Then in blunders Collin Powell and tells the communists that the eventual resolution must be Taiwans incorporation in a slave state exactly what they want to hear.
China is determined to achieve that end. It needs to be restrained, not encouraged.
The party line, repeated endlessly in a string of speeches and communiqués is as follows: 1) China will crush any move toward Taiwan independence. 2) Reunification is a sacred task of the nation. 3) Taiwans President Chen is a separatist pushing the Taiwanese toward a dangerous abyss, and 4) If the Taiwanese wont agree to be ruled by Beijing, the regime is fully prepared to use force to achieve that end.
Rhetoric aside, China continues to build a war machine (military spending increased 11.6% this year alone) geared toward one goal the conquest of Taiwan.
In July, it conducted war games simulating an invasion of Taiwan 18,000 troops, fighter jets and tank brigades took part in the exercise. PRC fighter aircraft violate Taiwans air space on an almost daily basis. Sometimes, Taipei is forced to scramble its own fighters in response. Chinas arsenal of short-ranged missiles targeting Taiwan (now about 600) grows by around 75 to 100 a year.
Chen has repeatedly called for a lessening of tensions and offered to negotiate with the Mainland (as he did during Taiwans National Day celebration on October 10th) but as an equal not as a supplicant seeking terms of surrender, as Powell is urging.
The mistake the West made in the 1930s was not signaling Hitler that his territorial ambitions would be opposed. Our ambassador to Baghdad made the same error prior to Saddams invasion of Kuwait in 1990. Clintons weak response to a string of terrorist attacks in the 90s convinced bin Laden that we lacked the will to fight fire with fire.
Will history repeat itself in East Asia? China needs to be told clearly and emphatically that its not going to get Taiwan, and that the Taiwanese arent its property. Instead, we have Colin Powell fueling the delusions of Marxist megalomaniacs.
Powell has indicated that he will not serve as Secretary of State in a second Bush administration. He will be missed by the Chinese Politburo.
Comments: dfeder@rcn.com
Good riddance!
Good start. Now they need to fire the rest of the State Department.
It seems odd that with all the talk of God and religious belief during the campaigning that Taiwan would effectively go ignored. There are many Christians in Taiwan as are the associates I work with from day to day.
shame on you Powell and so long
"this time instructing the Taiwanese that their goal in life should be reunification with a murderous, police state. "
Pretty SICK, when you have YOUR freedoms, and you don't
mind seeing OTHERS deprived of theirs.
Powell is a ... DISSAPOINTMENT
He will be leaving this post I am sure, but for all of his faults at it, he sure beats Albright.
This article sounds rather stretched to me. Powell*s comments are being exaggerated.
Face it, in the long run Taiwan is going to have to "reunite" with China. The interests of these two nations are too entwined. American foreign policy needs to be based around the paradigm of power politics and the strength of nations, and not whether they're democracies are not. It's not in our interest to defend Taiwan in a war.
>>If Taiwan doesnt enjoy sovereignty, as Powell claims, why are we pledged to its defense?>>
I agree with this point, but Powell assumes that there are no freedom-loving Taiwanese that want to pattern after the USA rather than China... a truly encompassing assumption, to be sure.
All the Taiwanese people I know in Taipei (mostly women) are lovers of the West (no pun intended) but think the USA should do more in standing up to China.
I think it is time to crap or get off the pot on this issue. We are either going to defend freedom-lovers or we are not. If we pull the plug on Taiwan, how will we legitimate the fight for a free Iraq?
Powell isn't saying anything that Bush doesn't himself believe.
You stated "It's not in our interest to defend Taiwan in a war."
All that may be true. However, I think that giving up Taiwan will come at a price for the PRC. There may be high level negotiations between the US and China for China to satisfactorily handle the North Korea problem. If that is accomplished, there just may be a trade off.
Don't let the door hit ya where the Good Lord split ya....
Good Bye & Good Riddance.
(Another RINO bites the dust)
Good time for the feint of heart to go into "private life."
me either....and "Stormin Norman" is one of my Heros!!!
amen to that!
Maybe Powell is supportive of reunification of China and Taiwan under Republic of China (free China).
If that is the case, then he is against Taiwan independence movement, whose aim is to dissolve Republic of China and ROC's anti-communist stance.
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