President Chen Shui-bian stressed in an interview with the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun published March 3 that it is up to the people of Taiwan to determine their own future, and that enacting a new Constitution by 2008 is not impossible. He also thanked Japan and the United States for their strong joint stance on the imperative to maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait.

Only the 23 million people in Taiwan can decide on the nation's future, the president emphasised. The status quo in Taiwan--characterised by democracy, freedom and human rights--must not be unilaterally changed, and peace in the Taiwan Strait is an interest that Taiwan shares with Japan and the United States.

The president noted that China enacted its so-called "anti-secession law" in March 2005 to legitimise its use of force against Taiwan should the island move toward "formal independence." The number of Chinese missiles aimed at Taiwan has quadrupled to 784 since he first assumed the presidency in 2000 and is still growing by an additional 100-120 every year, Chen added.

Even though China's military build-up threatens to alter the status quo, "the Taiwan government under my leadership will strive to defend the status quo and peace in the Taiwan Strait," Chen said.

Addressing controversy surrounding the mothballed National Unification Council (NUC), Chen reiterated the seven-point statement he made when announcing the NUC would cease to function. He said Taiwan has no intention to change the status quo and is firmly against any nonpeaceful means that threatens to alter the status quo.

The president further stressed that his administration does not exclude any possibility in the evolution of cross-strait relations as long as the final decision is based on democratic principles, and the free will of the 23 million Taiwanese people is respected.

The president said that Taiwan is a society that enjoys full freedoms of speech and press and that it is only natural for people in such a liberal society to have different views on drafting a new Constitution. He stressed, however, that for the constitutional re-engineering project to proceed, proposed amendments must win approval of the Legislature by a three-quarters margin and then be ratified by more than 50 percent of eligible voters in a national referendum.

According to the president, any move to address sovereignty issues, such as changing the official national title or redefining the national territory, by any means other than such due process does not contribute to maintaining the status quo and will be disregarded.

Chen also said that, assuming that the situation is ripe, with the necessary support from the public and the Legislature, it is not entirely impossible to hold a referendum on "a new Constitution that is more suited to Taiwan's present circumstances" before his term of office ends in 2008.
On cross-strait economic exchanges, the president said that China is a major market, but it should never be the only market for Taiwan. According to a report published by the U.S. Congress, Taiwan's investments in China make up half of the total foreign investments there, Chen noted. He insisted that, even if one discounts China's military build-up against Taiwan, it is too risky for Taiwan to have such a high degree of economic dependence on another country.

In order to prevent Taiwan from becoming "subordinate to China," Chen said he has recently proposed a "proactive management and effective liberalisation" principle for cross-strait trade, economic policy and crisis management.

With respect to direct links, Chen said Taiwan is willing to begin talks with China as long as Taiwan is not marginalised or belittled in these talks, and the talks are conducted under the principles of reciprocity and peace.

The president expressed in the interview his appreciation for the joint statement made by Japan and the United States last February at the conclusion of a regular security-consultation meeting, emphasising that peace in the Taiwan Strait is a matter of concern to both governments. He thanked Japan and the United States for including peace in the strait as one of their shared strategic goals and for their past support for Taiwan's bid to obtain observer status at the annual World Health Assembly.

The president also expressed satisfaction with current Taiwan-Japan relations. He explained that Taiwan and the United States had been able to communicate directly and sincerely on NUC-related issues, adding that he looks forward to similar consultation between Japan and Taiwan with regard to any issue that may arise.

On the issue of Taiwan's bid to join the United Nations, the president noted that 80 percent of Taiwanese think the island should be allowed to join the world body. Taiwan has both the right and the obligation to join the United Nations, he said, and he invited the international community to come up with an acceptable name under which it can join the world body if it deems the name Taiwan to be inappropriate.

The president said that Taiwan will not be absent from the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and is happy that the games are to be held within the larger ethnic-Chinese community. He characterised the 2008 Beijing Games, however, as a matter of "another country hosting the games." Chen said he hopes Taiwan will be accorded treatment equal to that of all other countries participating in the games.

Regarding China's offer to send a pair of giant pandas as gifts, the president said the nation will respect international conventions and the views of wildlife conservation groups on the matter. He noted, however, that the panda issue is a concrete example of Beijing's treatment of Taiwan as a part of China. He added that he will decline the present if Beijing is only using the pandas as a tool in its "united front" campaign against Taiwan.