RE: Taiwanese-American Delegation to Present Petitions to State Department

wufidata Mar. 01, 2004

For Immediate Release

Date: 2/28/2004

On March 3, 2004, a delegation representing seven major Taiwanese-American organizations will meet at the Department of State with Randall G. Schriver, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and present him with near 9,000 petitions addressed to President George W. Bush. These petitions urge the President to support the peace referendum in Taiwan to be held on March 20, 2004 and to immediately build up a robust deterrence posture in the Western Pacific.

A news conference will be held on March 3, 2004 at 12:00 noon at First Amendment Lounge, The National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20045. The leaders of these Taiwanese-American organizations will be on hand to meet the press regarding the 9,000 petitions.

In December of 2003, when Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited the United States, President Bush stated that he opposed any referendum in Taiwan or any unilateral action by either Taiwan or China that would lead to a change in the status quo. The pro-China media in Taiwan have since used President Bush’s statement to undermine Taiwanese people’s trust in Taiwan’s President Chen Sui-Bian. The delegation seeks to explain to the President through Mr. Schriver the significance of the referendum and the potential consequences of abandoning the referendum.

Since 1996, each time Taiwan held the residential election, China threatened with war. In February, China held military exercises again in an attempt to intimidate Taiwan. In the upcoming presidential election, China favors the incumbent’s opponent Lien because Lien has shown a desire to forgo sovereignty consideration in an attempt to entice China to discuss trade issues. In fact, Lien openly opposes the peace referendum. “We cannot trust Lien Chan. He never has a firm stand on Taiwan’s sovereignty, and appears willing to give up everything in order to engage China in trade talks,” says Professor Yang, chairman of the World United Formosans for Independence-United States Headquarters (WUFI-U.S.A.). Taiwanese-Americans believe a victory by Lien will result in Taiwan’s capitulation to China in just a few years. “This will terminate our [the United States’] role as the guarantor of peace in East Asia and usher in seminal turmoil in the region,.” the letter warns.

For more information, contact:

Jeff Tsay, (817)-275-6217, jtsay3@comcast.net

Appendix A

Taiwanese-American Organizations with representatives in the delegation

Patrick Tsay, President Formosan Association for Human Rights

Yen-Sen Chen, Vice-President Formosan Association for Public Affairs

Wen-Yen Chen, President Formosan Association for Public Relations

Milton Chen, President North America Taiwanese Professors\' Association

Nora Tsay, President North America Taiwanese Women\'s Association

Philip Wu, President Taiwanese Association of America

Bob I. Yang, Chairman World United Formosans for Independence-U.S.A.

Appendix B

Petition Letter to President Bush

January 16, 2004

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C., 20500

Dear President Bush:

There are more than 600,000 American citizens of Taiwanese heritage in the United States. In 2000 a great majority of Taiwanese Americans voted for you mainly on account of your support for Taiwan’s democracy. We appreciate your clear affirmation last month of the US commitment to help defend Taiwan should China decide to use force or coercion to alter the status quo.

We are deeply concerned about our government’s objection to Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian’s proposed referendum on March 20, 2004. The referendum will not touch the independence-annexation issue, but is designed to alert the complacent Taiwanese people to China’s military threat. While the content of the referendum can be discussed between Washington and Taipei, it would be self-defeating for the US to pressure President Chen to abandon the referendum. President Chen’s disappointed supporters could abstain from voting en masse to protest his betrayal of democracy. The electoral victory of the KMT-PFP pan blue alliance will most likely result in Taiwan’s capitulation to China within a couple of years. This will terminate our role as the guarantor of peace in East Asia and usher in seminal turmoil in the region.

Mr. President, we urge you to reaffirm our policy that the status of Taiwan must be settled peacefully and with the assent of the Taiwanese people. We urge you to bolster our naval and air presence in the Western Pacific in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act and the recommendations of the DOD’s Quadrennial Strategic Review so as to deter Chinese military action against Taiwan.

We realize that our armed forces are now heavily committed in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere in our effort to make the world safer for freedom. But if we fail to prevent Chinese military adventure, the costs to our country will be immensely larger. What is at stake is not just peace in East Asia and the freedom of the twenty-three million Taiwanese, but also whether the People’s Republic of China can become a peaceful member of the civilized global community or turn into an expansionist power intent on becoming the hegemon of Asia and beyond.

We look forward to your response.

Respectfully yours,

Signature: _____________________________ Name (Print): ___________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________

Telephone: ____________________________________________________________________