In the aftermath of one of the worst earthquakes that has struck Taiwan in this century, an article in the Washington Times said, "The United Nations has confirmed that China's approval was sought to send U.N. rescue coordinators to Taipei" ("Taipei assails China for delays after quake," Sept. 25).

  It is tragic, but true.

 We Taiwanese Americans are shocked by the fact that the United Nations waited for a go-ahead from China before sending its relief workers into Taiwan. It is unconscionable that the people of Taiwan, in their hour of need, had to wait for the United Nations to jump over political hurdles erected by China.

 Now that people are fighting for their lives, it is more apparent than ever that the continued denial of Taiwan's status as an independent nation and its disqualification from participation in the international community is dangerous and simply wrong.

 Ironically, the United States is partly to blame. The 1972 Shanghai Communiqué states: "The U.S. acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is part of China." The United States did not declare that it agreed with or endorsed China's stance; it merely acknowledged that position.

 The constant use of "our one-China policy" by Clinton administration officials has moved the U.S. away from its originally neutral stance towards a stance that places Taiwan at China's mercy. It has laid the foundation for China's continued military menace over Taiwan and for Taiwan's exclusion from organizations such as the United Nations or the World Health Organization.

 The good news is that President Lee Teng-hui's July 9 declaration that from now on Taiwan's relationship with China is to be on a state-to-state basis now forces the United States to rethink its diplomatic, political, economic, and military attitude towards Taiwan.

 The reality is that Taiwan is not a part of China but that Taiwan is a de facto independent country. So a new formulation of U.S. policy is needed - a "one China, one Taiwan policy." And not a small part of this new policy must be vigorous support for Taiwan's voice to be directly and fully heard in the United Nations and its affiliated organizations.

 The unfortunate lesson we have learned from this earthquake disaster is that recognizing Taiwan's independence is imperative to the lives of Taiwan's people. Without this recognition, the world will continue to deny safety and security to Taiwan's citizens.

WEN-YEN CHEN
President, Formosan Association for Public Affairs
Washington