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Democrats gloss over Taiwan

Taiwan received only a passing reference from the US Democratic Party as it released the final draft of this year’s election platform, which will be voted upon at its national presidential nominating convention in Denver later this month.

The 51-page document, which was released on Friday, does not mention Taiwan by name and devotes only 20 words to the nation and cross-strait relations.

“We are committed to a ‘One China’ policy, and will continue to support a peaceful resolution of cross-straits [sic] issues,” is all that the document says.

That wording copies the sentence on Taiwan included in the party’s 2004 platform, but omits the clause that followed, that the commitment was to a peaceful resolution “that is consistent with the wishes and best interests of the Taiwanese people.”

As was the case in 2004, there was no reference to supporting Taiwan as a democracy or ally, adherence to the Taiwan Relations Act, a pledge to help Taiwan fend off a Chinese military attack or other expressions of support for Taiwan.

The chief author of the international section of the platform was Susan Rice, a scholar at the Democrat-leaning Brookings Institution who is a senior national security advisor to presumed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Rice was part of the Bill Clinton administration, serving on the National Security Council and as assistant secretary of state for African affairs during his term.

Other Brookings foreign policy advisors to Obama also include Richard Bush, the former chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan, and Jeffrey Bader, another Clinton alumni, who served as Asia director of the National Security Council and deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asia.

While this year’s Republican Party platform has not been issued, its 2004 platform included a long segment on Taiwan, which was effusive in support of the nation.

In it, the party listed Taiwan as a US ally, pledged to defend Taiwan against a Chinese attack, backed continued US arm sales to Taiwan, supported Taiwan participation in the WHO and other international bodies and praised Taiwan’s democracy.

Given presumptive Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s role as a strong, long-standing champion of Taiwan, the party’s platform this year could be expected to mirror those 2004 declarations, and possibly go further.

In comments, letters and other expressions on Taiwan, Obama has also voiced strong support for Taiwan, but it is not known whether the party’s final platform adopted at the convention will strengthen the Taiwan section to reflect that.

The Democratic convention will be held from Aug. 25 to Aug. 28, and the Republican convention will take place in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, from Sept. 1 to Sept. 4.
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