Bush told of President Chen’s vows

Chang, who attended the Hanoi meeting on behalf of President Chen, said a press conference on return to Taipei he passed that message to Bush person.

President Bush expressed concern about Chen’s “four-no” commitments to maintain the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, Chang said.

“That concern,” Chang said, “was forwarded to President Chen.”

He met President Chen before the press meeting.

When he was first inaugurated in 2000, President Chen promised not to declare independence, not to include a “two China” clause in the Constitution, not to call a referendum on Taiwan’s national identity, not to change the title of the country, and not to abolish the National Unification Council.

Chen reiterated his pledge in an inaugural address again in 2004, but subsequently he virtually abolished the National Unification Council. He is ready to write a new constitution, a move Washington considers to unilaterally change the status quo.

Prior to his departure for Hanoi, Chang was given the mission of assuring President Bush of Chen’s “four-no” commitments.

That mission was accomplished, Chang said.

Asked why his special plane, known popularly as Taiwan’s Air Force One, does not carry its national flag, Chang said it doesn’t because it’s just a “special plane,” not the “presidential plane.”

“I took the special plane, not the presidential plane,” Chang told reporters.

Taiwan’s Air Force One, for use exclusively by the president, carries the national flag. It disappeared on its flight to and back from Hanoi .

Press reports quoted Ministry of Foreign Affairs sources as saying the special plane had the national flag emblazoned on its tail wing when it landed at Hanoi.

Sources were cited as claiming “it’s a great diplomatic breakthrough.”

Hanoi has no diplomatic relations Taipei, and a flag carrier landing at the Vietnamese capital “means Vietnam government fully respects” Taiwan as a sovereign state, sources added.

Chen thanked Chang for accomplishing his mission, lauding him as Taiwan’s “best spokesman.”

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