New York Mayor Michael Bloom-berg has stirred up a political storm by referring to Taiwan as a country, much like China, and by saying he "certainly would meet with Taiwanese officials."
Bloomberg, who replaced Rudolph Guiliani early this year, made the comments after meeting with Chinese Vice President Hu Jintao (
After meeting with Hu, Bloomberg was asked if he would consider meeting with representatives of the government of Taiwan. He replied that he "certainly would" and that he "would certainly welcome visitors from either country."
An editorial in the new newspaper, which only began circulating on April 16, recalled that Bloomberg's predecessor was even more blunt and honest by maintaining "a memorably principled policy."
Guiliani famously refused twice to meet with top Chinese officials, according to the editorial, which noted that President Jiang Zemin (
It pointed out that US policy that recognizes China and acknowledges its "one China" policy has meant that leaders of Taiwan are unable to come to the US on state visits.
They are allowed transit, however, and when President Chen Shui-bian (
When Bloomberg met with Hu, it said, the new mayor "at least made it clear that he was prepared to meet also with the Free Chinese leadership and suggested he thinks of Taiwan as a country."
The New York Sun said friends of Taiwan in America viewed Bloomberg's remarks as expressing "a reality which the State Department and the Bush administration have insisted on denying -- that the Republic of China on Taiwan is, like the People's Republic of China on the mainland, a country of its own."
The director general of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, Andrew Hsia (
The deputy executive director of the New American Century, Tom Donelly, told the newspaper that "the fiction that Taiwan is part of China is increasingly difficult to credit."
"I'm not surprised that Mayor Bloomberg might have inadvertently let the truth get out," he added.
The report quoted Donnely as saying that the "one China" policy advanced by China has become increasingly difficult for the US to maintain as Taiwan has democratized and as US relations with China have grown tense.
"The world has changed, Taiwan has changed," he was quoted as adding.
The daily then quoted a senior Senate Republican foreign affairs staffer of Senator Jesse Helms, a long time supporter of Taiwan, as saying Bloomberg's remarks "represent the basic good instinct of the American people."
The staffer, speaking on condition of anonymity, added that "these are actually two countries, and one of them is a democracy."
A spokesman for the PRC consulate in New York declined to comment on Bloomberg's remarks, the report said.
POLAM KOPITIAM CASE: Of the two people still in hospital, one has undergone a liver transplant and is improving, while the other is being evaluated for a liver transplant A fourth person has died from bongkrek acid poisoning linked to the Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday, as two other people remain seriously ill in hospital. The first death was reported on March 24. The man had been 39 years old and had eaten at the restaurant on March 22. As more cases of suspected food poisoning involving people who had eaten at the restaurant were reported by hospitals on March 26, the ministry and the Taipei Department of Health launched an investigation. The Food and
A fourth person has died in a food poisoning outbreak linked to the Xinyi (信義) branch of Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in Taipei, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) said on Monday. It was the second fatality in three days, after another was announced on Saturday. The 40-year-old woman experienced multiple organ failure in the early hours on Monday, and the family decided not to undergo emergency resuscitation, Wang said. She initially showed signs of improvement after seeking medical treatment for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but her condition worsened due to an infection, he said. Two others who
MEDICAL: The bills would also upgrade the status of the Ethical Guidelines Governing the Research of Human Embryos and Embryonic Stem Cell Research to law The Executive Yuan yesterday approved two bills to govern regenerative medicine that aim to boost development of the field. Taiwan would reach an important milestone in regenerative medicine development with passage of the regenerative medicine act and the regenerative medicine preparations ordinance, which would allow studies to proceed and treatments to be developed, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) told reporters at a news conference after a Cabinet meeting. Regenerative treatments have been used for several conditions, including cancer — by regenerating blood cells — and restoring joint function in soft tissue, Wang said. The draft legislation requires regenerative treatments
Taiwanese should be mindful when visiting China, as Beijing in July is likely to tighten the implementation of policies on national security following the introduction of two regulations, a researcher said on Saturday. China on Friday unveiled the regulations governing the law enforcement and judicial activities of national security agencies. They would help crack down on “illegal” and “criminal” activities that Beijing considers to be endangering national security, according to reports by China’s state media. The definition of what constitutes a national security threat in China is vague, Taiwan Thinktank researcher Wu Se-chih (吳瑟致) said. The two procedural regulations are to provide Chinese