US Secretary of State Colin Powell said the US is looking forward to "seeing" and "hearing" the inauguration speech of President Chen Shui-bian (
Powell made the remarks to the Taiwanese media after his meeting Thursday with Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong (
His words came as Taipei-Washington relations have become strained over Chen's insistence on holding a referendum alongside the presidential election on March 20 and over his plan to write a new constitution in 2006 and implement it in 2008.
The two referendum questions -- whether to increase anti-missile defense in the face of missile threats by China, and whether to start dialogue with China on a framework for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait -- failed because less than half of the nation's electorate cast votes on the referendum questions -- a legal requirement for passage.
Powell reaffirmed the US' "one-China" policy and expressed the hope that both sides of the strait will act prudently.
He said that Chen "is certainly aware of our policy with respect to China and Taiwan," adding that the US feels strongly "that our `one-China' policy based on the three Communiques and our Taiwan Relations Act ... has served as a foundation for stability and peace in the region for many years."
The US "would not like to see anything happen that will change such a situation," he said.
"We believe both sides should act with prudence, take no unilateral action. We have said that we do not support independence of Taiwan, so we look forward to seeing President Chen's inaugural speech," Powell said.
During his 2000 inaugural, Chen laid out his "five noes" pledge, which included pledges not to declare independence if Beijing does not use force and not to hold a referendum on the nation's status on independence or unification.
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