US sends admiral to warn China on Taiwan

FROM OLIVER AUGUST IN BEIJING

THE commander of the US Seventh Fleet has travelled to Beijing to warn Chinese leaders, after last week's threats, that America is prepared to defend Taiwan.

Admiral Dennis Blair's visit is seen as an attempt to regain the initiative after Washington was given no advance warning of Beijing's threat last Monday to use force against the island if Taiwan puts off unification talks indefinitely.

The admiral will meet military leaders and visit the headquarters of the Nanjing military region from where a Taiwan campaign would be conducted. Last week the US aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk left its Japanese base in a move seen as hostile by Beijing.

With presidential elections in Taiwan a few weeks away, China's renewed belligerence has turned out to be quite effective, fostering fears among voters that victory for a pro-independence candidate could lead to a Chinese attack. A drop in Taiwanese stock indices has reminded voters that, if Beijing is upset by the poll result, more threats and financial setbacks could follow.

Yesterday Lin Chong-pin, vice-chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council, which handles Taiwan's policy towards the People's Republic, said that he agreed with Beijing that there was "one China". Mr Lin pleaded with Beijing for a more measured dialogue. He said: "Chinese leaders should ask themselves a question: do they just want to unite with a piece of land or with the people here?"

Mr Lin's statement seemed to propose a face-saving formula that would allow more room for discussion. He said that the two sides should have the freedom to have different views about how "one China" could be administrated.

China's sabre-rattling has been most harmful to Chen Shui-bian, candidate of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party. He has had to reassure voters that, if elected, he would not jeopardise the island's security.

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Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), February 27, 2000

Answers

Good.

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), February 27, 2000.

Land-grabbers.

Heh!

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), February 28, 2000.

Taiwan has to talk to China. Breaking off reunification talks was an experiment they should not repeat.

-- Brian McLaughlin (brianm@ims.com), February 28, 2000.