San Jose Mercury News

April 14, 2001

YOU reported that most Taiwanese emigrants supported the U.S. stance, while the majority of mainland Chinese emigrants simply echoed Chinese President Jiang Zemin's demand for an apology (Page 22A, April 7).

I think those Chinese emigrants who have pledged allegiance to become naturalized U.S. citizens should ask themselves which side they are on. In a law-respecting country, a party is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Unfortunately such a notion is still alien to the Chinese leaders.

What if the truth turns out to be that the Chinese fighter was at fault? Should Jiang Zemin apologize?

Jiang already has much to apologize for: shooting missiles at Taiwan in 1996, detaining U.S. scholars, harassing the Tibetans, and suppressing the Falun Gong and political dissidents.

Perhaps his biggest apology should be to the 23 million people of democratic Taiwan. They and their government want to live in peace with China but Jiang's response is more missiles pointed at the island and threats to use force.

Ching-Chao Huang

Vice President, South Bay
Taiwanese Association