Taiwan President Receives Human Rights Award, Offers Talk With China's Hu

TAIWAN NEWS

"I would like to display my goodwill and sincerity again and invite the leader of the other side for a talk without any preconditions," Chen said during a dinner with members of the local Taiwanese community.

Taipei (AFP) Sep 22, 2005
Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian has offered to hold unconditional talks with his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao, saying it may open "a window of opportunity" for peace across the Taiwan Strait.

Chen made the comments Wednesday evening during a stopover in the US city of Miami, Taiwan's state-funded Central News Agency said Thursday.

It quoted Chen as saying he understands the expectations of the international community for rivals Taipei and Beijing to reopen dialogue and help maintain stability in the region.

He said the aim would be to "shake hands and talk in a rational manner, and ...jointly open a window of opportunity leading to democracy and peace on both sides of the Taiwan Strait."

The Taiwan leader said he hoped democracy and human rights could prevail in China and the two sides would coexist peacefully, the news agency reported.

But he also lambasted Beijing for enacting an anti-secession law earlier this year, which authorizes the use of military force against Taiwan if the island moves toward formal independence.

Earlier Wednesday Chen received a human rights award through video-conference from US Congressman Tom Lantos representing the Congressional Human Rights Causus.

Chen is making a stopover in Miami en route to Taiwan's diplomatic allies in Central America and the Caribbean but will cut short his stay there as Hurricane Rita is swirling towards the region.

Beijing, which regards Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification by force if necessary, has repeatedly declined to talk with Chen's independence-leaning government.

Relations between China and Taiwan, which split in 1949 at the end of a civil war, have worsened since Chen, from the Democratic Progressive Party, was elected president in 2000.

He was re-elected last year.

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TAIWAN NEWS

Pentagon Official Warns Taiwan On Defense Spending

Washington (AFP) Sep 21, 2005
A senior Pentagon official bluntly warned Taiwan it must invest in its own defenses against a growing threat from China if it expects the United States to come to its aid in a crisis.

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