Prominent Sunflower movement leader Lin Fei-fan (林飛帆) yesterday said the New York Times (NYT) overlooked his main argument during a recent interview that the relationship between Taiwan and the US must be normalized.
Lin said he told the paper that while many in Taiwan worry that US president-elect Donald Trump will change policy directions after he assumes office, the best way to handle a potential change in policy would be for Taiwan to seek the development of normal relations with the US.
Lin said the NYT’s reporter emphasized the worry that he mentioned exists in Taiwan over Trump’s intentions, while overlooking the emphasis he placed on the development of normalized relations between the two countries.
The article published on Thursday, titled “Taiwan Is Both Exhilarated and Unnerved by Trump’s China Remarks,” quoted Lin saying: “Many people in Taiwan worry that once Trump takes office, he’ll make a U-turn.”
That quote was used to set the tone of the article, he said.
“I did absolutely say this, but they emphasized the wrong point. Of course I am unhappy about seeing Taiwan used as a chess piece,” Lin said.
He said that he hoped the article would emphasize his point about developing normalized US-Taiwan relations.
US President Obama perhaps made many policy mistakes in regard to Taiwan, including the promotion of stronger China-Taiwan economic ties, adding that now Taiwan is too dependent on China economically, Lin said.
“If you say Trump is using Taiwan as a Chinese piece, then aren’t American liberals also just sacrificing Taiwan in a trade for stable relations with China?” Lin said.
Lin said that neither his criticisms of Obama nor his emphasis on normalized US-Taiwan relations made it into the published article.
“I’m a little disappointed, but I thank the New York Times for giving me the space,” Lin said.
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