[tallhappy]

Title is from source.

Title reflects content of the breaking news story.

My subtitle reflects my opinion.

Very bad decision on the President's part.

I have been a huge supporter of his. I now lose a fair amount of respect for him and also confidience in his character and ability to withstand pressure and not act and speak things against his own principles.

Regardless, this will hurt President Bush in the long run. He simply undermines himself by going against his own principles and the Bush doctrine that has been developing.

Say it ain't so, Joe...

[DoughtyOne]

Tallhappy, I've sided with your opinion on this for a long time. I still do, but in recent years I have been dismayed to watch the Taiwanese themselves speak favorably of the one nation two systems theory. Frankly I think that's suicidal, but it's their country.

I don't think they all feel that way, so I'm still in support of a separate sovereign Taiwan. But if I hear much more, I'm going to withdraw my support of a separate Taiwan myself.

Compounding the problem, corporate business abandonment of Taiwan for the the mainland is briske. Taiwan's business climate is suffering from what I've been led to believe.

I think Bush is wrong here. I oppose his views on this. But I think that's the way it's headed. And I think Taiwan will be the ones to undercut our support of them. Course on the other hand, they may see us selling them out and realize it's futal. I just don't know.

[Dave S]

Very bad decision on the President's part.

Where have you been? This was decided more than thirty years ago. We havent recognized Taiwan for decades. The US has had a one China policy since Nixon in the 70's. Our policy is that there is one China and that Taiwan is part of it. That is why Red China is on the Security Council and Taiwan is not even in the UN. In fact, only a handful of countries recognize Taiwan and we are NOT one of them. We oppose forced reunification but we also oppose independence for Taiwan

[Quix]

I share the displeasure with the weak kneed stance.

However, He can say what he wishes more or less as long as he arms them adequately. . . . sounds like he's light years beyond traitor DILLDO and SHRILLERY.

Actually, from the Chinese position--what he said and didn't say would be a tough stance to their sensibilities. They will not go away happy about that. They must have pressured him pretty heavily to back out on giving or selling arms to Taiwan. And he didn't flinch on that one. That's more than most of our recent Presidents have done.

Personally, I think it's foolish for the Taiwanese to hold a referendum given the hyper paranoia and pride of Beijing. A leadership who doesn't flinch at killing their own sons and daughters and grand children in Tienanmen wouldn't flinch over neutron bombing the whole of Taiwan.

Taiwanese think Beijing wouldn't attack because Beijing would want all Taiwan's wealth in tact. Not so. Beijing would totally destroy Taiwan just out of pride. 21,000,000 souls mean little to Beijing compared to their pride, arrogance and greed for power and status.

Retaking Taiwan is a kind of leadership gold ring to capture and justification for a lot of bluster and posturing. But once they bluster and posture--they are very pride bound to back it up. I don't think Taiwan appreciates those facts sufficiently.

[bybybill]

One hundred years from now, there will be a free China and there will be a free Taiwan. Bush did not change a thing and woe on the Commies if the attack Taiwan. Unless they used nukes, they can`t conquer the island. No way, no how.

[Lucas1]

We've got influence with some in the region. We intend to make sure that the issue is resolved peacefully, and that includes making it clear that we do not support independence," Bush added.

Very sad :(

[rednekelmo]

i rember a prediction by sean David Morton on the Bell show claiming that Bush would sell out to the Chinese worse than Clnton ever managed to.I don't claim to know the future but it looks like Bush may try to make that prediction come true.But then what are allies for if not to sell out to people who want to destroy eveything the US stands for to gain some short term good will.

[MJY1288]

There is nothing new in GWB's position on this matter, he has always said that he agreed with the "One China" policy but that China a Taiwan should work out their differences peacefully. To me this is the usual Reuters spin.

When ever a foriegn leader visits this country, Reuters and AP do their best to undermine this administration, all the while supporting every cowardly position Bill Clinton ever announced. This is pure garbage coming from the leftist over at Reuters.

[Always Right]

I am disappointed that you did not understand this is the status quo. Good or bad, this is our stated policy, but it does not affect our behavior. It is just a bunch of diplomatic BS.

[Edmund Burke]

Why doesn't Bush call for free elections in China? Every time he discusses China, he should call for free elections.

[ffrancone]

Tallhappy:

In the early seventies, the President of the United States signed an agreement with China stating that Taiwan and China were part of the same country. In return, the opening of China gave us an enormous strategic advantage over the then Soviet Union. This happened at a time of great weakness of the United Sates. Our economy was in shambles. Pacifists controlled the United States house and senate and were dismantling the CIA and our national defense.

Nixon's move to ally with China probably had a lot to do with containment working thru the dismal 70's until we got a real president and a real foreign policy.

As much as I would like to see Taiwan a separate country, do you really want our current president to say that the commitments of the United States are meaningless? Especially when we benefitted so richly from those committments?

W is doing as much as he can to help Taiwan, given the binding agreements of previous American presidents. Believe me, China is not happy with this President.

[philman_36]

Goodbye Taiwan, hello Formosa.

[LinnieBeth]

I'm confused- but then the whole "one China" policy has always confused me.

Are we going to defend Taiwan or are we going to let them become communist?

[Glenn]

Of course we support "One China". Do you have any idea how many billions of dollars of American money are running around that country chasing a standard of living that is ever improving? Do you recall that GWB's dad was ambassador to China? Do you understand that in the coming economic war Taiwan won't make a tinker's dam in the bigger scheme of things? We are capitalists first.

[RLK]

In a news conference with Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Bush said the United States stood by the "one China" policy, which acknowledges that Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is only one China and that Taiwan is part of China.

----------------------------------

How I wish Bush would have stayed in Texas.

[tm22721]

What Bush says, and what he does when the chips go down in defense of Taiwan, are two different things.

Those who cannot read between the lines in Beijing will suffer the consequences of any moves against Taiwan.

BUMP

[KDD]

The challenge comes because two of Eurasia’s greatest powers – China and Russia – are powers in transition. And it is difficult to know their intentions when they do not know their own futures. If they become America’s friends, that friendship will steady the world. But if not, the peace we seek may not be found.

China, in particular, has taken different shapes in different eyes at different times. An empire to be divided. A door to be opened. A model of collective conformity. A diplomatic card to be played. One year, it is said to be run by "the butchers of Beijing." A few years later, the same administration pronounces it a "strategic partner."

We must see China clearly -- not through the filters of posturing and partisanship. China is rising, and that is inevitable. Here, our interests are plain: We welcome a free and prosperous China. We predict no conflict. We intend no threat. And there are areas where we must try to cooperate: preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction… attaining peace on the Korean peninsula.

Yet the conduct of China’s government can be alarming abroad, and appalling at home. Beijing has been investing its growing wealth in strategic nuclear weapons... new ballistic missiles… a blue-water navy and a long-range airforce. It is an espionage threat to our country. Meanwhile, the State Department has reported that "all public dissent against the party and government [has been] effectively silenced" – a tragic achievement in a nation of 1.2 billion people. China’s government is an enemy of religious freedom and a sponsor of forced abortion – policies without reason and without mercy.

All of these facts must be squarely faced. China is a competitor, not a strategic partner. We must deal with China without ill-will – but without illusions.

By the same token, that regime must have no illusions about American power and purpose. As Dean Rusk observed during the Cold War, "It is not healthy for a regime ... to incur, by their lawlessness and aggressive conduct, the implacable opposition of the American people."

We must show American power and purpose in strong support for our Asian friends and allies – for democratic South Korea across the Yellow Sea... for democratic Japan and the Philippines across the China seas ... for democratic Australia and Thailand. This means keeping our pledge to deter aggression against the Republic of Korea, and strengthening security ties with Japan. This means expanding theater missile defenses among our allies.

And this means honoring our promises to the people of Taiwan. We do not deny there is one China. But we deny the right of Beijing to impose their rule on a free people. As I’ve said before, we will help Taiwan to defend itself.

The greatest threats to peace come when democratic forces are weak and disunited. Right now, America has many important bilateral alliances in Asia. We should work toward a day when the fellowship of free Pacific nations is as strong and united as our Atlantic Partnership. If I am president, China will find itself respected as a great power, but in a region of strong democratic alliances. It will be unthreatened, but not unchecked.

China will find in America a confident and willing trade partner. And with trade comes our standing invitation into the world of economic freedom. China’s entry into the World Trade Organization is welcome, and this should open the door for Taiwan as well. But given China’s poor record in honoring agreements, it will take a strong administration to hold them to their word.

If I am president, China will know that America’s values are always part of America’s agenda. Our advocacy of human freedom is not a formality of diplomacy, it is a fundamental commitment of our country. It is the source of our confidence that communism, in every form, has seen its day.

And I view free trade as an important ally in what Ronald Reagan called "a forward strategy for freedom." The case for trade is not just monetary, but moral. Economic freedom creates habits of liberty. And habits of liberty create expectations of democracy. There are no guarantees, but there are good examples, from Chile to Taiwan. Trade freely with China, and time is on our side.

Governor George W. Bush - 'A Distinctly American Internationalism'

Nov, 1999

He said nothing new yesterday.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Anything the President does is bad in your view. I suppose we should not allow them to try to work on a settlement? What would you do if you were President?

[billclintonwillrotinhell]

I saw this coming when the "Compassionate One" decided to be neutral on China's Summer Olympics bid, which indeed was awarded to Beijing several months ago. How can Bush, with a straight face, bash Cuba's Castro on one day and ignore China's voluminous human rights violations the next?

If it was Taiwan with veto power in the United Nations on the Iraq vote, I have a feeling Dubya would be kissing up to them instead of the commie baby-killers in Beijing.

[Thane_Banquo]

Bush needs China's support on the Iraq resolution.

I support a one China policy myself: Reunification after the fall of Chinese Communism.

[2sheep]

Interview with Chinese Dissident Harry Wu -- excerpt:

J.R. Nyquist:  How would you characterize the ruling Communist Party in China. I mean, what sort of people are they?

Harry Wu:  Butchers.