China tried to pressure US forum

The Chinese Embassy in Washing-ton made an attempt recently to get the National Press Club to stop allowing speakers from Taiwan to use the venue for press conferences and speeches, but was strongly rebuffed by press club officers, the Taipei Times has learned.

The attempt was made at a private dinner hosted by the embassy's No.2 man, He Yafei (何亞非), for the club's president Richard Ryan and speakers committee vice chairman Peter Hickman at He's residence on Dec. 11.

That was the evening before Cabinet Secretary-General Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) and three other top Taiwan officials held a press conference at the club at the start of a visit to discuss the results of the Dec. 1 elections with US officials.

Ryan and Hickman were invited to the He's dinner by embassy spokesman Xie Feng during a luncheon at the club several days earlier. Hickman had invited Xie to the get-acquainted lunch when Xie extended the invitation.

"As soon as I sat down [to drinks before the dinner], He Yafei turned around and said to me that we're very unhappy about all these Taiwan speakers you're having at the press club," Hickman said. "Since he started off like that, I responded in a like manner. I said, `you're going to be more unhappy tomorrow morning, because there are four more coming.'"

The Chinese diplomat responded by saying something to the effect that, "you are supporting their point of view by giving them a platform to speak from," Hickman said.

"I said, `No, we're not,' and I paused to let it sink in. He kind of looked at me and I said, `the press club does not take political points of view. The idea is free speech, freedom of expression.'"

Ryan declined to discuss the evening, saying he considered it a "personal dinner."

But he rejected any Chinese effort to block speakers from Taiwan.

"I feel that we should have anyone who has something to say to be able to speak at the press club," Ryan said. He apparently showed up at the dinner after the initial exchange between Hickman and He took place.

He Yafei later mentioned the invitation Ryan extended to President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) last year to speak at the club, saying the invitation was "very dangerous; it could have severe repercussions," Hickman recalled.

While Chen accepted the invitation, the US State Department apparently stepped in to block his appearance.

Ryan said he would extend another invitation.

"I would certainly welcome him to come and speak," he said.

If the Chinese objected, Ryan said he would tell them, "No ... if [Chen] would like to speak here, we would certainly provide him the platform for him to do that. I think that his point of view is something that we ought to hear."

Although the main purpose of He's dinner appeared to be to try to block future speakers from Taiwan, the rest of the evening was "very pleasant," and Taiwan did not come up, Hickman said.