Two US academics said yesterday that Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) president candidate Frank Hsieh (
Center for Strategic and International Studies researcher Derek Mitchell said US President George W. Bush's administration did not want Hsieh to assume that the US only cares about relations with Taiwan following next year's election, or that it would overlook the seriousness of the referendum proposed by some in the DPP.
He said communications with Hsieh had been very successful and had shown the US that Hsieh understood Washington's position and interests, and that Hsieh represents the views of grassroots Taiwanese.
PHOTO: CNA
Mitchell said Hsieh was smart and funny, and that his English was better than expected.
Hsieh had successfully created an image of a moderate, which was a relief for Washington, Mitchell said.
Policymakers in Washington were generally displeased with Hsieh's defense of the DPP's push for a referendum on whether Taiwan should apply to the UN using the name "Taiwan," and would continue to call on him to use his influence to stop the referendum.
But Mitchell said that most policymakers in Washington realized that the referendum plan would be hard to halt at this point, and what they are worried about now was how relations between the US, Taiwan and China will be managed as next March's election approaches.
Heritage Foundation researcher John Tkacik, who spoke with Hsieh at the same tea party as Mitchell, said the DPP presidential candidate had been very prudent during his visit and hadn't done anything to unsettle people in Washington.
Policymakers felt that the dialogue with Hsieh had been positive, and that the Bush administration's strong talk against the referendum was not directed at Hsieh personally, but at the DPP administration's policies, Tkacik said.
Hsieh wrapped up his four-day visit to Washington on Thursday, and headed to Detroit, Michigan for a brief visit before heading on to his final stop, Los Angeles.
He was scheduled to leave the US later today and arrive home on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Office yesterday demanded that the China Times Weekly publish a correction to a story about Hsieh's candidacy for next year's election within 24 hours.
The latest edition of the magazine alleges that President Chen Shui-bian (
However, Presidential Office acting Secretary-General Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said the story was aimed at splitting the DPP's leadership.
Cho demanded the magazine immediately issue a correction or the Presidential Office would file a libel suit against it.
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