BEIJING: When Chinese President Jiang Zemin and US President George W Bush swapped greetings on the 30th anniversary of the release of the Shanghai Communique on Feb 28, the celebratory tone masked a bitter setback for China’s expectations during the Bush visit here last week. Because of the document’s intentional ambiguity, it remains a minefield for both sides.

While Beijing was hoping to use Bush’s February visit here, timed to coincide with the anniversary of Richard Nixon’s 1972 ground-breaking tour to circumscribe America’s engagement with Taiwan, Bush acted on the contrary — he shored up support for the democratic government of the island by promising it would come to its aid if attacked.

Speaking at Qinghua University last week, Bush made clear the United States was indeed prepared to go into confrontation with China’s military over Taiwan.

He said the US was committed to the Taiwan Relations Act and would honour its promises. That act authorizes the US to sell defensive weapons to Taiwan and includes a clause saying Washington would view a military assault by Beijing as a matter of great concern.

Bush spoke bluntly and his intentions, broadcast live on Chinese television, made a deep impression on Chinese public.

In contrast, his predecessor, Bill Clinton, remained deliberately ambiguous about how America would respond to a potential attack on Taiwan.

In 1998, while visiting China, Clinton went well beyond the language of Shanghai Communique and pledged to follow the “three no’s” China subscribes to — no independence for Taiwan, no “two Chinas” and no membership by Taiwan in any organisation for which statehood is required.

Clinton’s accommodating attitude prompted Beijing to believe that the United States would not risk the lives of American soldiers to defend the interest of small democratic Taiwan against mighty communist China.

“The reunification of China and Taiwan is one of China’s core interests while protecting Taiwan cannot be regarded as one of Washington’ prime interests,” Ye Zicheng, a research fellow at the International Studies Institute under Beijing University, told the popular “Southern Weekend” weekly. “Quite opposite, Taiwan occupies only a marginal place on Washington’s agenda.”

Ye’s remarks were published on the eve of Bush’s visit to Beijing last week. Since the visit however, Beijing’s confidence on the Taiwan issue has been shaken.

Just a day after Bush left Beijing, Washington signalled it was considering issuing a visa to Taiwan defence minister Tang Yao-ming so that he can attend military talks in Florida this month.

According to Taiwan reports, the talks are expected to focus on Taiwan’s changing defence needs and cover sensitive weapons purchases. If Washington indeed issues a visa to Tang, Beijing would regard the move as extremely provocative.

It would be the first US visit by a Taiwan defence minister since 1979 and it would upgrade military exchanges between Washington and Taipei. —Dawn/InterPress Service.