An open letter to US Senator John Kerry - TaiwaneseAmerican

[dArKeR]

By Li Thian-hok???

Friday, Jul 23, 2004,Page 8

Dear Senator Kerry: There are more than 600,000 US citizens of Taiwanese heritage. In the November presidential election, Taiwanese Americans will vote for the candidate who firmly supports democratic Taiwan.

During the Iowa caucus you said the US should push for a "one China, two systems" for Taiwan. While Beijing promised Hong Kong 50 years of democracy under "one country, two systems," it has already reneged on that pledge. The Taiwan Relations Act says it is the objective of the US to preserve and enhance the human rights of the people of Taiwan. How can we in good conscience push the free people of Taiwan into servitude under the Chinese Communist Party's repressive rule?

We hope you simply misspoke when you suggested "one China, two systems" for Taiwan's future. The proposal is contrary to US policy toward Taiwan, which has been carefully developed by six former US presidents. But we have not seen any retraction of your Iowa statement.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/edit/archives/2004/07/23/2003180083

[Zorra]

1. The "One China" policy stinks. It is included in the Democratic Party

Platform and I wish they would take it out. Recognizing a democratic nation is more important than kow-towing to a totalitarian regime.

The Bu$h administration currently recognizes the "One China" policy, and it is diplomatic blackmail by the PRC.

Bush Opposes Taiwan Independence
Tuesday, December 09, 2003

WASHINGTON — Tuesday was not Taiwan's day at the White House, as President Bush announced that the U.S. had asked the island republic to cancel a referendum American officials feel would be provocative toward Beijing.

"The United States policy is one China (search)," Bush said after a 40-minute Oval Office meeting with mainland Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (search).

"We oppose any unilateral decision by either China or Taiwan to change the status quo," Bush told reporters, "and the comments and actions made by the leader of Taiwan" — referring to President Chen Shui-bian (search) — "indicate that he may be willing to make decisions unilaterally."

The referendum, scheduled for March 20, would let Taiwan's electorate decide whether the island's government should demand that Beijing remove hundreds of missiles aimed at it and renounce the use of force

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,105239,00.html

[JDPriestly]

2. Thanks.

I think it is more important to defend existing democracies than to try to impose democracy on countries that don't really want it.

[dArKeR]

3. Urge to drop democracy grows in Latin America

(You mean this kind of Democracy?)

NY TIMES NEWS SERVICE , Ilave, Peru

On a morning in April, people in this normally placid spot in Peru's southeastern highlands burst into a Town Council meeting, grabbed their mayor, dragged him through the streets and lynched him. The killers, convinced the mayor was on the take and angry that he had neglected pledges to pave a highway and build a market for vendors, also badly beat four councilmen.

The beating death of the mayor may seem like an isolated incident in an isolated Peruvian town but it is in fact a specter haunting elected officials across Latin America. A kind of toxic impatience with democratic process has seeped into the region's political discourse, even a thirst for mob rule that has put leaders on notice.

In the last few years, six elected heads of state have been ousted in the face of violent unrest, something nearly unheard of in the previous decade. A widely noted UN survey of 19,000 Latin Americans in 18 countries in April produced a startling result: A majority would choose a dictator over an elected leader if that provided economic benefits.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2004/06/28/2003176910

[Zorra]

4. By dropping democracy

do you think they mean dropping economic imperialism?

There are a lot of factors at play in Latin America. What is "strong leadership"? Repressive right wing dictatorships installed by foreign powers, or repressive communist dictatorships?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. We Shouldn't Prop Up Authoritarian Regimes

but it is my understanding that Taiwan and South Korea are liberal democracies....

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. I Agree....

We should be committed to protecting the sovereignty of Taiwan and South Korea....

The challenge with China is it's proximity to Taiwan and it's sheer size which makes it a formidable military adversary....

[DjTj]

7. Unfortunately, our voice is small...

...and the Taiwanese Americans in the U.S. actually tend to be more conservative than their counterparts in Taiwan.

We're also probably concentrated in safe blue states and will have a hard time making much of a difference in this election.

However, Kerry should support Taiwan because it's the right thing to do. Defending democracies against oppressive totalitarian regimes should be the cornerstone of our foreign policy.

I won't be looking for much lip service though, because that's all it will be - lip service. With our foreign policy priorities elsewhere and our trade policy so China-friendly, I fully expect the U.S. to simply stick to a party line of "keep the status quo."

In the end, it will not be the United States, but the leadership of Taiwan and China that will have to resolve the situation. President Chen should continue in his steps toward a Constitution and perhaps someday, somebody in Beijing will get a clue...

[dArKeR]

8. Honest and dishonest = Liberal and conservative that's all the kind of

people there are in the world.

[Kenergy]

9. Bush fears China...

His base depends on China for present and future profits.
If Bush is re-elected, China will probably imo attack Taiwan
with his blessing, or should I say his corporate sponsors blessing.
Bush is a wimp. We know that from the reconnaissance plane
'mishap' shortly after he took (literally) office.