Chen Plans Debate On Taiwan Charter

Leader Keeping Independence High on Agenda

Taiwanese President Chen Shui Bain in this file photo from August 31, 2004. (Juan Carlos Ulate -- Reuters)

TAIPEI, Taiwan, March 13 -- President Chen Shui-bian declared Monday that he will soon open debate on a new constitution for Taiwan, including the explosive issues of sovereignty, territory and formal independence for the self-ruled island.

But Chen, who has incurred the wrath of China and the irritation of the United States over his relentless pursuit of Taiwanese independence, added in an interview that, practically speaking, political opposition to such controversial changes makes it unlikely they will be approved anytime soon by the opposition-controlled legislature.

Chen's comments, in a 90-minute conversation at the presidential palace in Taipei, suggested he will continue to insist on making his dream of formal independence the main item on Taiwan's political agenda. But at the same time, he said, Beijing and Washington should not get upset, since the opposition Nationalist Party has the votes in the Legislative Yuan to prevent his ambitions from being translated into law for the time being. "So everybody can relax," he said, smiling.

"I have given my assurances that we will abide by due procedure for constitutional reform," he added later. "So you have correctly put it that the subject is open, but some subjects might not be so preferable. So I think we have to wait until the society has matured enough, and [only when] we have enough support from the people and we have the full consent of the legislature can we deal with these issues regarding sovereignty."

Despite the display of patience, Chen's vow of a debate on such constitutional issues as sovereignty and formal independence indicated that the 100-mile-wide Taiwan Strait will continue to be a source of tension and danger in the Asia-Pacific region, involving the United States and Japan as well as China.

China, which regards the island as a province that must return to Beijing's rule, has warned it would use force, if necessary, to prevent Taiwan from acquiring formal independence. In particular, it has declared that any revision of the constitution to foster independence would not be tolerated.

The United States, although it has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan, has vowed to help the island defend itself, meaning a conflict here could end up drawing U.S. forces into a confrontation with China's 2.3 million-strong military. With Japan linked to the United States in a defense treaty and its southern islands lying in nearby waters, Tokyo could also be sucked into such a conflict.

Acutely aware of the issue's sensitivity, Taiwan's government has laid down strict rules for amending the constitution. Any change must be approved by a three-fourths majority in the Legislative Yuan and then endorsed in a referendum by a majority of those eligible to vote. The effect is to make such change extremely difficult without broad political consensus, which Chen sorely lacks in Taiwan's highly politicized atmosphere.

But Chen, who has two years remaining in his second and final four-year term, appears determined to ensure that Taiwanese politics continue to revolve around his independence goals, particularly as the 2008 presidential election comes onto the horizon. His stance has solidified the pro-independence base of his Democratic Progressive Party and forced the Nationalist Party to deal with a subject it would rather avoid.

The Nationalists, who favor better relations with mainland China, traditionally have viewed reunification under certain conditions as a desired goal. But more recently, Nationalist leaders have de-emphasized reunification, seeking support from the 80 percent of the Taiwanese public that opinion polls consistently indicate want to keep the status quo of self-rule.

At a rally Sunday in Taipei, tens of thousands of Nationalists shouted their opposition to Chen, saying he should avoid riling Taiwan's giant neighbor and focus more on improving the economy. The Nationalist leader and the party's probable presidential candidate in 2008, Ma Ying-jeou, drew cheers when he denounced the Chen government for what he called corruption and lack of concern for how most people live.

Zhang Jili, 73, a merchant who returned to Taiwan after years in Vietnam, said during the rally that China's takeover is inevitable "within 10 years." Chen's pursuit of independence is a pipe dream, he added.