Relations between Taiwan and the US have made significant progress since US President George W. Bush's inauguration, the de facto Taiwan ambassador to Washington said on Sunday.
"Taiwan-US relations are far closer now than during the Clinton administration era," said Chen Chien-jen (程建人), the Taiwan representative to the US, at a meeting organized by the San Francisco Bay Area Taiwan Chamber of Commerce.
Chen said Taiwan-US ties can be characterized as "steady, stable, firm and solid."
The seasoned diplomat told the more than 300 conference participants that Taiwan focuses on three essential points in its relations with the US -- namely strengthening Taiwan's national security, pushing for a relaxation of restrictions on bilateral exchanges imposed after the US switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing and promoting Taiwan's bid to join major international organizations.
During the Clinton administration, Chen said, the US didn't support Taiwan's bid to rejoin the UN.
"Worse still, Clinton demanded the US ambassador to the United Nations reaffirm his administration's stance of no support for Taiwan's participation in international organizations that require statehood," Chen said, pointing out that "such a move was tantamount to opposing Taiwan's UN membership."
Since Bush took office, Chen said, the US ambassador to the UN has consistently kept mum on the issue. In 2001, he said, the US secretary of health and human services expressed support on an unofficial occasion for Taiwan's participation in the WHO. Last year, he even said it was the US' hope that Taiwan join the WHO as an observer.
Chen went on to say that when President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) made his first transit stop in Los Angeles in 2000, the Clinton administration banned US congressional members from meeting with President Chen and only allowed 15 overseas Chinese community leaders to pay courtesy calls to the ROC president at his hotel room.
In contrast, Chen said, the Bush administration largely eased restrictions on President Chen's activities when he made transit stops in the US in May 2001.
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