Pacific Rim Bureau (CNSNews.com) - A conservative think tank said Tuesday President Bush had erred in chastising Taiwan's president for his plans to hold referendums on matters of national importance.

Bush, who met visiting Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao at the White House, said Tuesday: "We oppose any unilateral decision by either China or Taiwan to change the status quo."

And he added: "The comments and actions made by the leader of Taiwan indicate that he may be willing to make decisions unilaterally to change the status quo, which we oppose."

Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian plans to hold a referendum in which voters will be asked to urge communist China to renounce the use of force against Taiwan, and remove almost 500 missiles aimed at the island.

Scheduled for next March 20, the day presidential elections are being held, it will be the first plebiscite held under a law passed recently by Taiwanese lawmakers.

China, which regards the island as a wayward province, opposed the law, accusing Chen of preparing the way for a referendum that will formalize Taiwan's de facto independence.

Before Wen's visit, Beijing said the premier would press Washington to "oppose" Taiwanese independence unambiguously, in place of the standard, carefully-worded position that the U.S. "does not support" independence.

Wen did not publicly get that assurance in so many words, but Bush's statement came close, prompting the premier to respond: "We very much appreciate the position adopted by President Bush towards the latest news and developments in Taiwan."

Conservative commentators William Kristol, Robert Kagan, and Gary Schmitt, directors of the Project for the New American Century, called Bush's comments "a mistake."

They noted in a memorandum that Chen had made it clear that he won't hold a referendum on the subject of independence.

"Can it really be President Bush's position that Taiwan is not permitted to hold any democratic referenda on any subjects whatsoever?" they asked.

Kristol, Kagan and Schmitt observed that the president had not spoken out about China's threats of war against Taiwan, nor its buildup of missiles targeting the island.

"Appeasement of a dictatorship simply invites further attempts at intimidation," they said.

"Standing with democratic Taiwan would secure stability in East Asia. Seeming to reward Beijing's bullying will not."

Last October, Republican Sens. George Allen (Va.) and Jon Kyl (Ariz.) wrote a letter to Bush urging him to support the right of the Taiwanese people to hold referendums.

"We believe that the future of Taiwan must be determined peacefully, with the express consent of the people of Taiwan," they wrote.

"Since its establishment, the United States has been the foremost champion of liberty and democracy in the world. We can, therefore, not afford to tell the people of Taiwan not to hold a referendum. There can be no double standard when it comes to exercising democracy."

Allen is founder of the Senate Taiwan Caucus, established last September and with a membership of 17. A parallel Taiwan Caucus in the House of Representatives, launched in April 2002, boasts 123 members.

The bi-partisan caucuses aim to strengthen U.S. relations and cooperation with the government and people of Taiwan, in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act.

The 1979 act established a new relationship between Washington and Taipei, following the U.S. decision to recognize mainland China and end full diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Among other things, it commits the U.S. to help Taiwan to defend itself.
See Also:
Chinese PM Begins US Visit Looking for Policy Change on Taiwan (Dec. 08, 2003)

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