LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Houston Chronicle - May 30, 2001

"President Chen's Taiwan Visit"

The Chronicle has done a great disservice to the readers with its misleading article ("Showdown for Taiwan leader", Metropolitan, May 29) on the local Taiwanese community sentiment regarding President Chen's visit and on the issue of Taiwan independence. The author chose one ex-Nationalist Chinese soldier and one representative of a Chinese organization named One China Alliance and hear them proclaim "only a small number of Taiwanese support Taiwan's independence." The author purposely ignored the real Taiwanese, who were born and raised in Taiwan - there are over 20,000 of them in the Houston area and over 20 million in Taiwan. It is reprehensible that a Chronicle writer should manipulate the truths to serve his own agenda. He is dishonest and should be fired from his position.

The Taiwanese community is coming out in droves on Saturday and Sunday for welcoming a president from their motherland, not for a showdown. The Chinese have no rights to speak for Taiwan.

Norman H. Chen