Printer-Friendly Version

Pacific Rim Bureau (CNSNews.com) -- Former President Bill Clinton has ended a visit to Taiwan, where he annoyed pro-independence campaigners by expressing support for Beijing's "one China" policy and upset China by meeting twice with a leader the communist mainland seeks to isolate in the international community.

Clinton, who last visited Taiwan while governor of Arkansas, met with President Chen Shui-bian, reviled by Beijing as a "splittist" for his pro-independence tendencies, and also delivered a keynote speech at a democracy foundation.

His visit came at a sensitive time: China's rubber-stamp parliament begins a session on Saturday expected to endorse a controversial "anti-secession" bill that could give China a legal basis to use force if Taiwan formalizes its de facto independence.

Chen called Monday for "all peace-loving nations of the world" to express their concern about Beijing's plan to pass the law.

Clinton's speech before the government-financed Taiwan Foundation for Democracy dealt with the challenges and risks of living in a more "interdependent" 21st century world. He also praised Taiwan's democracy.

The sensitive comments came earlier, in an interview with a Hong Kong-based newspaper, when Clinton said he hoped his visit to Taiwan would not be interpreted by either Beijing or Taipei as a change in his or in Washington's stance on the dispute.

"I sincerely stand by the 'one-China' policy," Clinton said, urging both sides to resolve the dispute peacefully.

The policy refers to Beijing's contention that Taiwan is a rebel province that will eventually be reunified with the mainland.

The U.S. interpretation is more nuanced, focusing on discouraging both sides from taking any unilateral steps that will affect the status quo. It opposes any moves towards formal independence, but is also committed by law to protect Taiwan from outside aggression.

After Clinton's comments to the Hong Kong paper, a Taiwanese daily quoted him as saying that the "one-China" policy protects Taiwan.

The Taiwan Solidarity Union, a small pro-independence party, criticized the former president, saying there was no need for him to speak on behalf of China. His remarks had hurt the feelings of Taiwanese people, said TSU chairman Su Chin-chiang.

Taiwanese have mixed feelings about Clinton.

He's remembered fondly for dispatching an aircraft carrier group to the area in 1996 after China conducted missile tests in an attempt to influence Taiwanese voters facing the emerging democracy's first direct presidential election.

Two years later, however, on a visit to the mainland Clinton announced what became known as a "three noes" policy - no U.S. support for Taiwan's independence, no support for "two Chinas," and no support for Taiwan joining international organizations that require statehood for membership.

Many contrasted the "three noes" to President Reagan's "six assurances" to Taiwan, in 1982. They included the statement that the U.S. "has not changed our long-standing policy on the matter of sovereignty over Taiwan." Analysts say that policy holds that the question of sovereignty over Taiwan remains "undetermined."

>> Continued -- Page 1 2

Copyright © 1998-2005 CNSNews.com - Cybercast News Service