Chen tells `Newsweek': `Taiwan is independent'

Taiwan is now de facto independent and it is no longer important as to how the nation is formally acknowledged, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) told Newsweek magazine in its Asian edition, which hits the stands today.

Chen is featured on the cover of the magazine's May 20th edition.

"Taiwan is fit to be an independent country, that's the truth. And no matter if you agree or not, whether you accept it or not, Taiwan is [already] an independent country," Chen said in the exclusive interview.

Chen said that the fact of the matter was clearly demonstrated when US President George W. Bush recently welcomed the two "countries" across the Taiwan Strait upon their entry into the WTO.

Chen reasoned that the Bush administration is more sympathetic toward Taiwan because it needs to maintain the current military balance and protect US' strategic interests in the Asia-Pacific.

Chen said that while the support of Washington and the American people would increase the confidence of Taiwan's people when talks with Beijing begin anew, Taipei would not miscalculate and "abuse" US support.

Chen said he regretted that Chinese leaders have not responded positively to the goodwill expressed in his inaugural address, which included promises that Taiwan would not declare independence and would not amend the Constitution to seek de jure independence.

Elaborating on his most-recent offer to talk with Chinese leaders, Chen said that due to the succession taking place in Beijing, it would not be possible for him to talk with Chinese President Jiang Zemin (江澤民), expected to step down from his post next year.

"If the future leader is going to be Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), I will not give up on seeking a chance to talk to him face to face," Chen said.

But Chen added that in light of his personal history, especially as the chief official of Beijing in Tibet, he doesn't have very high expectations of Hu, whom Chen described as "reserved, untested" and "a loyal supporter of communist authority and despotism."

Asked if he foresaw a better chance during his second term for a breakthrough in cross-strait relations, Chen asserted that it remains Taiwan's goal to normalize relations "the sooner the better" and that "it's not necessary to wait."

Also during the interview, Chen addressed the growing economic and commercial links across the Taiwan Strait, which some fear makes Taiwan overly dependent on the Chinese economy.

Chen said China is one of Taiwan's economic markets, but not the only one.

Chen also said that, with the process of liberalization and globalization, Taiwan would not abandon the Chinese market. But this doesn't mean that Taiwan cannot survive without it.

In regard to "China fever," Chen said that with the size of China's population and its cheap labor, it is naturally attractive to the uninitiated foreign investor, many of whom are made to believe that China is a heaven for making money.

But Chen said he is sure the time would come when the fever subsides, saying "time will prove differently."