Taiwan blames China
as U.S. blocks Chen's stopovers

The Associated Press
Taipei
The International Herald
Infosearch:
Máximo Tomás
Research Dept.
La Nueva Cuba
May 7, 2006

President Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan will not fly through the United States during his trip to Latin America, the Taiwanese Foreign Ministry said Thursday, signaling a rift between Taipei and Washington, its longtime ally.

The Taiwanese media reported that Chen had asked to make stops in New York and San Francisco, but the United States offered only to allow Chen to make a transit stop in Anchorage, Alaska.

The Taiwanese foreign minister, James Huang, said Wednesday that Taiwan was "not satisfied" with the offer, and the ministry said Thursday that Chen would not travel through the United States at all.

Chen, while departing from the Taipei airport Thursday, slammed rival China, accusing it of applying pressure on the United States to resist transit stops by the Taiwanese leader.

"They sought brutally and savagely to block the transit stops and foreign trips of our senior officials," Chen said. "We will not be defeated, but will become bolder. The more we are suppressed, the more we will try to walk out."

China considers the self-governed island as part of its territory and frowns on any visits by Taiwanese leaders that might imply Taiwanese sovereignty. Beijing last week urged Washington not to approve Chen's reported request to make a stopover in New York.

Huang said Wednesday that Chen would bow to the American decision on the transit stop issue because he wanted to avoid "making difficulties" for the United States. He appeared to be referring to a U.S. desire to gain support from China in combating nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea, and in addressing the continuing refugee crisis in Darfur region of Sudan.

"We understand that America has a leading role" on these issues, he said.

Although Taiwan and the United States have no formal relations, Washington remains the island's most important ally, providing it with crucial backing against China since the Chinese Nationalist government fled to the island in 1949.

Chen has used U.S. transit stops during previous Latin American forays to meet with U.S. leaders and raise the profile of Taiwan in the American media - part of his efforts to counter Chinese efforts to isolate Taiwan diplomatically.

The U.S. decision to limit Chen to transit stops in Alaska came two weeks after President Hu Jintao of China visited the White House for talks with President George W. Bush.

Before that meeting, Hu made it clear that he thought the United States had not done enough to chastise Chen for his February decision to scrap a Taiwanese government body responsible for negotiating a re-unification with the mainland.

However, Huang said the decision had not played a role in Taiwanese consultations with Washington about Chen's itinerary.

TAIPEI President Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan will not fly through the United States during his trip to Latin America, the Taiwanese Foreign Ministry said Thursday, signaling a rift between Taipei and Washington, its longtime ally.

The Taiwanese media reported that Chen had asked to make stops in New York and San Francisco, but the United States offered only to allow Chen to make a transit stop in Anchorage, Alaska.

The Taiwanese foreign minister, James Huang, said Wednesday that Taiwan was "not satisfied" with the offer, and the ministry said Thursday that Chen would not travel through the United States at all.

Chen, while departing from the Taipei airport Thursday, slammed rival China, accusing it of applying pressure on the United States to resist transit stops by the Taiwanese leader.

"They sought brutally and savagely to block the transit stops and foreign trips of our senior officials," Chen said. "We will not be defeated, but will become bolder. The more we are suppressed, the more we will try to walk out."

China considers the self-governed island as part of its territory and frowns on any visits by Taiwanese leaders that might imply Taiwanese sovereignty. Beijing last week urged Washington not to approve Chen's reported request to make a stopover in New York.

Huang said Wednesday that Chen would bow to the American decision on the transit stop issue because he wanted to avoid "making difficulties" for the United States. He appeared to be referring to a U.S. desire to gain support from China in combating nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea, and in addressing the continuing refugee crisis in Darfur region of Sudan.

"We understand that America has a leading role" on these issues, he said.

Although Taiwan and the United States have no formal relations, Washington remains the island's most important ally, providing it with crucial backing against China since the Chinese Nationalist government fled to the island in 1949.

Chen has used U.S. transit stops during previous Latin American forays to meet with U.S. leaders and raise the profile of Taiwan in the American media - part of his efforts to counter Chinese efforts to isolate Taiwan diplomatically.

The U.S. decision to limit Chen to transit stops in Alaska came two weeks after President Hu Jintao of China visited the White House for talks with President George W. Bush.

Before that meeting, Hu made it clear that he thought the United States had not done enough to chastise Chen for his February decision to scrap a Taiwanese government body responsible for negotiating a re-unification with the mainland.

However, Huang said the decision had not played a role in Taiwanese consultations with Washington about Chen's itinerary.