Monday, May 8 2006

Snubbing Taiwan

Regarding your report "Taiwan blames China as U.S. blocks Chen's stopovers" (May 4): It is astounding that the United States is only allowing Taiwan's democratically elected president a refueling stopover in Alaska, while President George W. Bush just rolled out the red carpet for one of the world's least democratic leaders, President Hu Jintao of China. Isn't there something wrong with this picture?

Taiwan is a proud, free, democratic and prosperous nation, which only recently went through its transition to democracy. If the United States is to foster democracy around the world, it would do well to strengthen its ties with countries like Taiwan that have worked hard for, and achieved, democracy.

Gerrit van der Wees, Washington