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Chabot pans Hu's Washington welcome

"The travel ban [on Taiwan's democratically elected leaders] is an excellent illustration of that discredited [`one China'] policy."

Steve Chabot, Republican representative

Republican Representative Steve Chabot said on Wednesday that it was ridiculous that China's dictator Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) receives a 21-gun salute when he visits the White House while Taiwan's democratically elected president -- one of the strongest allies of the US -- isn't even allowed to visit Washington.

"Taiwan is an independent, sovereign nation. No amount of diplomatic doubletalk can obscure this fact. It's time to recognize this reality fully and welcome our democratic allies to our nation's capital," Chabot said in a news release on Wednesday.

"Pressure from communist China to isolate Taiwan is a direct result of our failed `one China' policy that curries favor with a dictatorship while belittling our democratic ally," Chabot said.

"The travel ban [on Taiwan's democratically elected leaders] is an excellent illustration of that discredited policy," Chabot claimed.

Chabot, co-founder and chairman of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, said he has recently introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives urging the administration of President George W. Bush to permit visits to the US by high-level officeholders from Taiwan.

Current US policy prohibits official visits to the US by Taiwan's president, vice-president, foreign minister and defense minister.

Chabot introduced House Resolution 381 along with Democrat Representative Sherrod Brown. Chabot and Brown, both senior members of the House International Relations Committee and its Asia-Pacific subcommittee, are co-founders and chairmen of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus.

"I think our resolution is long overdue and believe it sends the right message at the right time," Chabot said, adding that travel to the US by senior Taiwanese officials has occasionally been allowed, but only for "transit visits" permitting a short layover before traveling on to another country.

Chabot recalled having to travel to New York with other pro-democracy members of Congress to meet with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) during one such visit. Most recently, he and others spoke to Chen via video teleconference when the Taiwanese leader stopped off in Miami.
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