MAC cautions on China's growing reach in region

Taiwan's security interests should be protected by the US if it wants to build a constructive relationship with China, Vice Chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council Lin Chong-pin (林中斌) said yesterday.

Lin warned that threats by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to take Taiwan by force would, if successful, expand Beijing's grip on the region.

"The PLA increasingly considers taking the island [Taiwan] as a strategic must and not just as a sacred mission," Lin said in a keynote address during an international conference on "The PRC and the Asia-Pacific Region."

If China succeeded in taking Taiwan the PLA would also get its hands on the Spratley Islands and counterbalance Japan's rising military power in Asia, Lin said.

"Beijing may now have an added incentive to seize Taiwan and deter the US," he said. As a consequence of this emerging security threat from the PLA, "Both Washington and Taipei will increasingly share a national interest in maintaining the regional status quo."

"A lot of people say these are two different things [US protection of Taiwan, while engaging China], but I see a linkage between them," Lin said.

On the recent dialogue between US President Bill Clinton and his Chinese counterpart Jiang Zemin (江澤民), where Jiang reportedly said China had no intention of using force against Taiwan, Lin said it was a positive development but cautioned against the possibility Beijing was using a "two faced" strategy to woo the international audience.

"I hope what Jiang said to the US is what they will do ... their messages for the domestic and international audience should be consistent," Lin said.

Lin declined to comment on suggestions Washington could take a more active role in encouraging cross-strait dialogue, but said the US had been more "pragmatic" in its shuttle diplomacy between the two side compared with the missile crisis of 1995 to 1996.

"It's a very good thing that the public consensus in Taiwan is being noted by the US government," Lin said, referring to Clinton's comment made last February that any solution to the cross-strait issue must have the "assent" of Taiwan's people. "This [Clinton's comment] has never been mentioned before," Lin said. Since Clinton's speech, other high level officials involved in cross-strait affairs have made similar comments.

Richard Bush, the Chairman and Managing Director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and its Director, Raymond Burghardt, both hinted in speeches last month that the ball is now in China's court.

Burghardt urged Beijing to take positive actions in its policy towards Taiwan and stressed the importance of Taiwan's public consensus in resolving the cross-strait issue.

"No one is going to negotiate over the heads of the people of Taiwan. My government has reminded Beijing that the public in Taiwan has become a key element in the cross-strait equation," Burghardt said.

He also stressed the US would not pressure Taiwan into political talks or be a mediator in cross-strait issues.