Taiwan Leader Eases Fears of China Strife (WSJ - Chen--major concession)

This is a story by my friend who writes for the Journal and is an expert in Taiwan/China affairs. He knows Chen well. He reports here that Chen, in his second inaugural address yesterday, has made significant concessions to please Washington.

China, true to form, denounced him after the speech. But he took off the table the single most threatening proposal: constitutional change that would have removed Taiwan's claim to be China and redrawn it's map of national sovereignty to just the geography of Taiwan itself.

Still, however, Chen is nowhere close to conceding Taiwan is part of China. He is, imo, a highly skilled politician who is determined to steer her toward independence, though as subtly as possible.

(Note: The WSJ requires a subscription to view the story. It's a stupid policy, but...)

http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB108501681385716562-search,00.html?collection=autowire%2F30day&vql_string=jason+dean%3Cin%3E%28article%2Dbody%29

Taiwan Leader Eases Fears of China Strife

Chen Pledges to Exclude From Constitution Issues On Sovereignty, Territory
By JASON DEAN
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
May 21, 2004; Page A9

...But, in remarks intended partly to repair crucial relations with the U.S. government, he backed off controversial plans to adopt a new constitution through a public referendum. And he said he wouldn't support constitutional changes that touch on the sensitive issues of Taiwan's sovereignty and territory...
...
The 53-year-old Mr. Chen, who narrowly won re-election on March 20 in a vote still contested by his opponent, also used his speech to try to heal domestic divisions that opened during the bitter campaign. "Unite Taiwan, stabilize cross-strait relations, seek social harmony and reinvigorate the economy. These are the earnest hopes of the people and the pre-eminent mission of my new administration," he told thousands of supporters who turned out for Thursday's ceremony despite a drenching rain.

...the speech was a far cry from the fiery anti-China rhetoric of Mr. Chen's presidential campaign. The president steered clear of controversial language he has used previously to assert Taiwan's independence, and said Taiwan and China should "work together to guarantee there will be no unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait." He didn't concede Beijing's "one China" formulation, but he didn't denounce the concept as he has before. And he pointedly said that Taiwan "would not exclude any possibility" in its future relationship with China, leaving open the possibility of an eventual union.

...Mr. Chen, defying the demands of many of his own supporters, said issues related to national sovereignty and territory should be excluded from the constitution-overhaul process. Standing in front of a Republic of China flag and a portrait of Chinese nationalist hero Sun Yat-sen, he pledged to follow existing rules for changing the constitution, which require legislative approval and don't allow amendments by referendum.
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