"Hu Jintao, your days are numbered"

How can a dictator know the meaning of democracy? All people in Taiwan have their right to decide their future. That is exactly democracy.

Bush warns China to avoid clash over future of Taiwan
By Francis Harris in Washington, Telegraph (21/04/2006)

America and China yesterday exchanged barely veiled threats on the future of Taiwan, as President George W Bush welcomed China's leader Hu Jintao to the White House.

Greeting the first Chinese leader to come to Washington for nine years, Mr Bush laid out the red carpet, complete with a 21-gun salute.

But within minutes, the issues dividing the two nations became starkly apparent as Mr Bush pointedly referred to the Taiwan Relations Act, legislation which commits America to aid Taiwan against Chinese attack.

Casting aside the usually innocuous sentiments reserved for visiting foreign leaders, Mr Bush said the two countries must be candid. "We oppose unilateral changes in the status quo in the Taiwan Strait by either side, and we urge all parties to avoid confrontational or provocative acts," he said.

The American military has noted with concern the deployment of 700 short-range Chinese missiles close to Taiwan and of cruise missile technology which could be used against the US navy's carrier task groups.

Minutes after the Chinese president's arrival, it was announced without comment that the Americans had approved the sale of improved radars for Taiwan's fleet of US-built F-16 combat aircraft.

President Hu responded with a prepared statement in which he acknowledged the deep differences over Taiwan's future.

"Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory. We will continue to make every effort and endeavour with every sincerity to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification of the two sides across the Taiwan Strait," he said.

"However, we will never allow anyone to make Taiwan secede from China by any means."
China has regarded the island as a renegade province since 1949 and demands reunification. It says it would regard any move by Taiwan to declare independence formally as a cause for war.

America too opposes Taiwanese independence. But Mr Bush has stated more explicitly than any of his predecessors that he was willing to confront China in any invasion of Taiwan. "Our nation will help Taiwan defend itself," he said in 2001.

Mr Bush and Mr Hu agreed yesterday that Taiwan should remain in international limbo, but could not agree what would happen if the island tried to alter its status. It was one of a number of disputes where no progress appeared to have been made at yesterday's talks.

Although the Chinese offered some movement over irritants in their critically important trading relationship, there was no sign of progress on security issues such as the suspected attempt by Iran and North Korea to acquire nuclear weaponry.

Although trade has grown to once-unimaginable levels, Washington feels that Beijing is enjoying the economic benefits of globalisation without defusing explosive international threats.

Mr Bush focused on North Korea, the impoverished and erratic Stalinist state highly dependent on Beijing's goodwill yet seeking nuclear weapons, but he suggested that little progress had been made. At one point Mr Hu was asked when China would become a democracy with free elections. "I don't know," he said. "What do you mean by a democracy?"

The only unscripted moment came when a Chinese woman screamed at Mr Hu from a camera stand overlooking the White House lawn where the leaders met. "President Hu, your days are numbered. President Bush, make him stop persecuting Falun Gong [a persecuted Chinese sect]," she shouted before being hustled away.