Chen says `four noes' pledge dies with him

President Chen Shui-bian, left, is briefed on the development of infrastructure in Guatemala during his meeting with Guatemalan President Oscar Berger Perdomo yesterday in Guatemala City. PHOTO: CNA

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said yesterday that future presidents would not be bound by his "four noes" pledge.

The "four noes" refer to the pledge Chen made as part of his inaugural speech in 2000. Chen promised that as long as China does not use military force against Taiwan, he would not declare independence, not change the national title, not enshrine the "state-to-state" model in the Constitution, or endorse a referendum on formal independence.

Chen, who is in Central America and the Caribbean on a five-day visit, made the remarks while meeting American Institute in Taiwan Chairman Raymond Burghardt in Anchorage, Alaska, where Chen and his delegation made a refueling stop.

Government Information Office Minister Shieh Jhy-wey (謝志偉), who accompanied Chen on the journey, quoted the president as saying that the pledge had one precondition: that China not use military force against Taiwan. However, Beijing has continued to increase the number of missiles targeted at Taiwan, Chen said.

"I never went back on my promise. You [the US government] always focus on the `four noes,' but neglect the precondition."

President Chen Shui-bian

"I never went back on my promise," Chen said. "You [the US government] always focus on the `four noes,' but neglect the precondition."

Commenting on the referendum proposed by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to seek UN membership under the name "Taiwan," Chen said the referendum was a good way of rejecting Beijing's assertion that Taiwan is part of the People's Republic of China.

While Burghardt reiterated US opposition to the UN referendum proposal, Chen expressed high hope for it, saying the attitude of voters would be different in the presidential election in March, when the referendum will be held.

Chen said the referendum on reclaiming the KMT's stolen assets failed in Saturday's legislative elections because of the KMT boycott, but the UN referendum in March would be different.

Shieh said Chen and Burghardt also exchanged views on the so-called "1992 consensus" and Burghardt said that his understanding was there was no such thing as a "1992 consensus."

Chen said Taiwan and China were on an equal footing and Taiwan deserved respect. Both sides could sit down and talk, but Taiwan could not accept the "1992 consensus" or the "one China" principle because they denigrated Taiwan's sovereignty, he said.

"That is the big difference between the DPP and the [Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)]," Chen said. "As long as Taiwan's sovereignty is respected, we can talk about anything with China and we hope to see sustainable peace in the Taiwan Strait."

Commenting on the DPP's defeat on Saturday, Chen said that although the new electoral system put the DPP at a disadvantage, it was meaningless to discuss whether the party regretted pushing electoral reform. He said the DPP realized it had to pay a price for the reform initiative.

Meanwhile, Shieh said Burghardt told Chen that KMT vice presidential candidate Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) had brought up the subject of "dirty tricks" during their meeting last month.

The private meeting was not disclosed until Chinese-language newspapers revealed the "minutes" of their conversation. The minutes reportedly recorded Burghardt's concerns about DPP attempts to win the election using "dirty tricks."

Also See: Alvaro Colom sworn in as president of Guatemala, vows to empower Mayans