A US official denied that President George W. Bush had called President Chen Shui-bian (
The US official told the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington that Bush did not make any such comment.
The statement was made to put to rest concerns over remarks by Jia Qinglin (
Jia said that Bush had described Chen as a troublemaker in his meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao (
Jia made this comment when he received a Taiwanese delegation, led by Jenny Ma (馬愛珍), chairwoman of the Taiwan Women Entrepreneurs Association, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
It was learned that Taipei's representatives to the US on Wednesday had checked with a US Department of State official who knew the content of the Bush-Hu meeting. After cross-checking the meeting record, the US official said, as far as he understood, Bush did not describe Chen as a "troublemaker."
The US reportedly also felt annoyed by Jia's comment. It is generally believed that Jia has attempted to play the US card to affect Taiwan's presidential election next March, while trying to avoid arousing resentment among Taiwanese by having Beijing intervene directly.
It was understood, according to the US official, that Bush had reiterated the US pledge to abide by the "one China" policy during the meeting with Hu. Bush also expressed his opposition to Taiwan declaring independence, according to the US official.
It is known that "not supporting Taiwan's independence" is the wording Bush's aides used in the information sheets they prepared for the US president. But Bush said both "not supporting Taiwan's independence" and "opposing Taiwan's independence" in his meeting with the Chinese leader. Neither the White House nor the State Department corrected Bush's statement.
However, Bush has never publicly expressed his opposition to Taiwan's independence.
Bush did not clarify himself when Hu told the press after their meeting that Bush had said he "opposes Taiwan independence." Nor did senior White House officials try to offer explanations in the briefing following the Bush-Hu talks.
The US official merely said Bush had told Hu that the US doesn't support Taiwan moving toward independence.
The official also reiterated an earlier statement by National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice that the US doesn't want either side of the Taiwan Strait changing the status quo unilaterally in a way that would upset peace and stability.
Translated by Jackie Lin
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old