Letters: US' Taiwan policy is unjust

The US employs a policy of maintaining the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and opposing any unilateral change in the relationship between Taiwan and China. This policy is lopsided.

In the last few years, the number of China's ballistic missiles aimed at Taiwan has doubled to 784. Last year, China put its "Anti-Secession" Law into effect, authorizing its military leaders to attack Taiwan at any time without even first getting permission from Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤). China has failed to deal effectively with SARS and bird flu, but unilaterally blocks Taiwan from meetings to control these epidemics. China also repeatedly prevents Taiwan from joining the UN and the World Health Organization.

Today, Taiwan is more militarily threatened, epidemically unprotected and diplomatically isolated by China than ever before. The so-called "Red Storm" is blowing hard over Taiwan, Japan and other countries. The power balance is unequal.

US officials should express surprise at the failure of Taiwan's legislature to pass the arms procurement bill, rather than at President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) suggestion to abolish the National Unification Council and unification guidelines. After all, this council and the guidelines combined have an annual budget of only US$31, and should be abolished immediately. Above all, unification is far from the status quo for Taiwan.

As a Taiwanese saying goes, "A spoiled pig will destroy your stove and a spoiled child will not be filial." The US should not spoil China in exchange for China's cooperation in fighting terror and controlling North Korea's nuclear program. Instead, the US should appreciate and encourage Taiwan for trying to reinforce its status quo, including rectifying its official name and deploying the mechanism of the popular vote as a free, democratic country like the US.