Taiwan should be prepared for unpleasant "surprises" when Chinese President Hu Jintao (
Although Taiwan is making an effort to protect its interests in advance of the Bush-Hu summit, the nation must be prepared for possible developments that it may not like, Lee said -- despite the close communication between Taiwan and Bush administration officials, which has been as open as possible.
Lee made the comments during his monthly "tea party" with the Taiwan press corps in Washington.
"We have made every preparation to try to make sure that the interests of Taiwan and the well-being of its 23 million people will not be hurt because of the summit," Lee said.
"However, we have to realize that in a meeting such as this, we cannot rule out the possibility that there could be a surprise. But we don't want that to happen," Lee said.
Lee's comments came as observers in Washington have been speculating that Taiwan's interests may be compromised next week when Bush and Hu meet.
The US, they point out, has a laundry list of several issues in which it is seeking Chinese help, from economic issues such as the value of the Chinese yuan and China's growing trade surplus with the US, to security issues such as Iraq, Iran and North Korea, and traditional issues such the environment, human rights and religious persecution. In turn, China wants only one thing from Washington: concessions on Taiwan.
Lee would not speculate over what Bush may be willing to give Hu in terms of Taiwan when the two meet on April 20.
"In another nine days, we will know the full details," Lee said. "At this moment, I don't want to speculate. My understanding is that the US position has been firm on the Taiwan issue, and that US policy regarding Taiwan has been consistent over the past few years."
Lee said that the US has been open with Taiwan in discussions in advance of the summit.
"We have very close contact with the administration's senior officials. And they are very forthcoming to let us know things we should know in advance," he said.
"We have let them know the concerns that we have on the Taiwan side. So our message is very clear. And I think those messages, according to US officials, are well taken by the American side," Lee said.
On other issues, Lee said that despite what he called US officials' high opinion of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
Lee said that US officials were interested in some of Ma's ideas but did not agree with him on some issues, including Taiwan's national security and its proposed purchase of US arms.
The purchase has been mired in the legislature because of the KMT's opposition.
Lee was blamed by critics in Taipei for not being present at Ma's meetings with US officials in Washington during the KMT leader's March 19 to March 29 visit.
But Lee said that Washington had informed Taipei of its officials' talks with Ma through a briefing from Stephen Young, director of the American Institute in Taiwan, and other US officials.
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