AIT chairman hints at Taiwan-U.S. relations warming

“The last time I welcomed Taiwan’s president was on the (freezing) tarmac in Alaska in January and I’m happy that today it is in Los Angeles where the temperature is 82 degrees Fahrenheit,” Burghardt was quoted as saying at the dinner by a government official, who refused to be named. The official declined to elaborate on Burghardt’s statement, asking instead the media to draw its own conclusions.

Burghardt, the top U.S. liaison officer with Taiwan in the absence of official ties, was referring to the stopover made by Ma’s predecessor, Chen Shui-bian, in Anchorage Jan. 13 on his way to Guatemala to attend the inauguration of then Guatemalan President-elect Alvaro Colom.

Washington forced Chen to transit in Alaska rather than on the U.S. continent because of its displeasure with Chen’s push for a referendum on joining the United Nations under the name “Taiwan,” which the U.S. called provocative and unnecessary.

At the dinner, at which Ma was joined by 50 overseas Taiwanese leaders, congressmen, and Ma’s American friends, Burghardt said interactions between Taiwan and the U.S. were good.

Ma arrived at Los Angeles on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. U.S. West Coast time enroute to attend the inaugurations of Paraguayan President-elect Fernando Lugo on Aug. 15 and Dominican Republic President-elect Leonel Fernandez on Aug. 16.

Due to an agreement between the the U.S. and Taiwan, Ma is making no public appearances during his overnight stopover in Los Angeles, and reporters were denied access to any of his activities.

Prior to the dinner, Ma met with four congressmen and had telephone conversations with four senators and six congressmen, with whom he discussed his “modus vivendi” approach.

Ma has proposed a “diplomatic truce” with China, which he said means Taiwan and China should stop their longstanding diplomatic tug-of-war in which both sides of the Taiwan Strait tried to lure each other’s allies by offering large sums of foreign aid. He also floated the notion of “workable diplomacy” or “modus vivendi” under which Taiwan would engage China in discussing the country’s international space as the island cements diplomatic relations with its remaining 23 allies.

“Cross-strait relations are developing in a good direction. Taiwan will develop its relations with the U.S. while it continues to improve its ties with China,” Ma was quoted as saying in the meetings and conversations with the U.S. politicians by the official.

Ma also reiterated that Taiwan is committed to purchasing defensive weapons from the U.S. and said that if possible, the country hopes to sign a free trade agreement with the U.S. in the future, according to the official.

In keeping with Ma’s desire to keep the overnight transit stop low profile, the official refused to confirm the identity of the congressmen who spoke with the president.

He would only say that Ma did not leave the hotel in which he stayed and would meet with several Taiwanese international students in L.A. later Tuesday evening local time.

“Although the president feels that both Taiwan and China as well as Taiwan and the U.S. have established mutual trust, he decided to stay low key, as it is his first state visit,” the official said. Ma is scheduled to leave Los Angeles for Paraguay at 6:00 a.m. Wednesday U.S. West Coast time. On the way, he will make a refueling stop in Panama where he will meet Panamanian President Martin Torrijos.

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