Despite a firm rejection of the idea by China, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) has urged that direct talks between presidents Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) be held in a third country, preferably in the US.
Su made the comment as he wrapped up two full days of talks in Washington with members of the two main US political parties, the Democrats and Republicans; academics and others concerned with Taiwanese affairs in the US capital.
Su was answering a question about the US role in cross-strait relations, after delivering a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on Wednesday.
Su noted that US President George W. Bush has called for Hu to talk directly with Chen and his government, which Su said Taiwan welcomed as a "crucial point" in determining what should be done to advance cross-strait relations.
"We want to propose that since we all agree that cross-strait dialogue is important, that it is necessary to have such a dialogue in a third country," he said.
"The US would be a good place" to conduct such a dialogue, Su added.
Beijing has rejected the idea of having such talks outside of China since the idea of high-level government-to-government talks was proposed recently, saying that negotiations should occur "on our own soil."
Su expressed optimism that direct cross-strait dialogue can be accomplished.
"We still are out to maintain positive expectations and hope that the Chinese government will choose to dialogue directly with the democratically-elected Chen Shui-bian and his government," Su said in statements translated into English by the head of the DPP's international department, Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), who was accompanying Su.
"We still want to say that any dialogue is good, including dialogue with opposition leaders," he said.
"However, we want to tell China that if you are sincere in interacting with Taiwan, if you choose to only talk with the leaders of the opposition, then we can only be suspicious of your intention, and that is to divide Taiwan," he said.
Su's visit, his first to Washington, is aimed at introducing himself to US congressional, political and intellectual leaders, and promoting better ties between the two countries.
In his speech before a CSIS audience of some 150 scholars, diplomats, officials and others, Su defended Chen's efforts at constitutional reform, assuring his audience that the reforms are crucial to improve Taiwan's political processes and institutions, while avoiding potentially explosive independence-related issues.
He also chastised Americans who do not understand Taiwan's history of repression at the hands of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) during the White Terror.
Americans "take their democracy for granted," Su said, recalling his own upbringing, when parents forebade their children from talking about politics outside of the household, and contrasting that with current broadcast commentators who make money criticizing Chen openly on a regular basis.
Su will also visit San Francisco, New York and Boston.
TYPHOON: The storm’s path indicates a high possibility of Krathon making landfall in Pingtung County, depending on when the storm turns north, the CWA said Typhoon Krathon is strengthening and is more likely to make landfall in Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said in a forecast released yesterday afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the CWA’s updated sea warning for Krathon showed that the storm was about 430km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point. It was moving in west-northwest at 9kph, with maximum sustained winds of 119kph and gusts of up to 155kph, CWA data showed. Krathon is expected to move further west before turning north tomorrow, CWA forecaster Wu Wan-hua (伍婉華) said. The CWA’s latest forecast and other countries’ projections of the storm’s path indicate a higher
SLOW-MOVING STORM: The typhoon has started moving north, but at a very slow pace, adding uncertainty to the extent of its impact on the nation Work and classes have been canceled across the nation today because of Typhoon Krathon, with residents in the south advised to brace for winds that could reach force 17 on the Beaufort scale as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecast that the storm would make landfall there. Force 17 wind with speeds of 56.1 to 61.2 meters per second, the highest number on the Beaufort scale, rarely occur and could cause serious damage. Krathon could be the second typhoon to land in southwestern Taiwan, following typhoon Elsie in 1996, CWA records showed. As of 8pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 180km
TYPHOON DAY: Taitung, Pingtung, Tainan, Chiayi, Hualien and Kaohsiung canceled work and classes today. The storm is to start moving north this afternoon The outer rim of Typhoon Krathon made landfall in Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) at about noon yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, adding that the eye of the storm was expected to hit land tomorrow. The CWA at 2:30pm yesterday issued a land alert for Krathon after issuing a sea alert on Sunday. It also expanded the scope of the sea alert to include waters north of Taiwan Strait, in addition to its south, from the Bashi Channel to the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島). As of 6pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 160km south of
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is set to issue sea and land warnings for Tropical Storm Krathon as projections showed that the tropical storm could strengthen into a typhoon as it approaches Taiwan proper, the CWA said yesterday. The sea warning is scheduled to take effect this morning and the land warning this evening, it said. The storm formed yesterday morning and in the evening reached a point 620 nautical miles (1,148km) southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, moving west-southwest at 4 kph as it strengthened, the CWA said. Its radius measured between 220km and 250km, it added. Krathon is projected
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