Letters:

The US has first dibs

Among the recent heated discussions in Taiwan's media regarding whether the US has the right to oppose the referendum issues of Taiwan's independence and sovereignty, the US was accused by some pro-China groups of interfering with the internal affairs of Taiwan.

It is fitting to review how the US got involved with Taiwan, which might shed some light on trying to find the best solution for this explosive issue.

Contrary to the KMT's deceitful claims and teaching to the people of Taiwan for the last five decades that their troops liberated the island, it was US troops -- on behalf of the allied forces -- which liberated Tai-wan from Japanese occupation at the end of World War II.

As occurred with many Pacific Islands liberated by US forces, the US was accorded custodial rights and obligations pending the final solution of the sovereignty of Taiwan -- even though the US allowed the KMT's troops to occupy the island after the war.

China's claim of sovereignty over Taiwan is equally deceit-ful. If China's claim to Taiwan today is believable, then the Republic of Mongolia has every right to claim China as its lost territory because China was only one of Mongolia's provinces during the Mongol Empire in the 13th century.

Judging from China's staunch support of the US' enemies during the Korean and Vietnam wars and Beijing's assisting North Korea, Pakistan and Iran with nuclear armaments, a future conflict between the US and China is inevitable.

The possibility that some politicians in Taiwan might exploit the referendum issue for personal gains and China's feverish ambition to take Taiwan at any cost make it imperative that the US proclaim its sovereign right to Taiwan -- which, under international law, it could claim given the liberation of Taiwan by US forces.

It is high time that Washington informs Beijing in no uncertain terms that the US' "one China" policy has never implied or recognized China's sovereign right to Taiwan.

Washington's voicing of its concerns regarding a referendum on Taiwan's independence and sovereignty is a step in the right direction.

The US should move further to declare and assert its custodial right to the sovereignty of Taiwan so that there will be no misunderstanding on the part of the people and governments on either side of the Taiwan Strait.

Our foundation promotes Taiwan joining the US as a commonwealth -- through a US-sponsored referendum in Taiwan -- in order to preserve the democracy in Taiwan and to strengthen the US' national defense capability in the Pacific region. Our foundation's proposal offers the best solution to the Taiwan issue.

Arthur Li
Founder, USA-Taiwan Commonwealth Foundation
Florida