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February
9, 2000
His
Excellency Li Zhaoxing
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Embassy of the People's Republic of China
2300 Connecticut Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20008
Dear
Mr. Ambassador:
I was
aghast at recent remarks by your Deputy Chief of Mission
in Washington, Liu Xiaoming, regarding the Taiwan Security
Enhancement Act (TSEA). Such rhetoric from the second-ranking
Chinese official in the United States requires clarification.
On Thursday,
February 3, Mr. Liu declared that the consequences of the
Congress passing the TSEA would be "more than China recalling
its ambassador" and "far worse than Lee Teng-hui's visit
to Cornell."
Mr.
Ambassador, since the "consequences" of President Lee's
visit to Cornell was belligerent military action by your
government against peaceful democratic Taiwan, are we to
conclude from Mr. Liu's statement that the People's Republic
of China will use military force against the Republic of
China on Taiwan if the U.S. Congress passes this legislation?
If so,
this would certainly represent a departure in policy by
your government, which has previously states it would only
attack Taiwan if Taiwan declared independence. It
would precisely highlight why swift passage of the TSEA
is essential.
Mr.
Liu also personally attacked Members of the House of Representatives,
declaring that the educational level of most Members (i.e.
those who voted for the TSEA) "is only about the level of
elementary school" while "those 70 who voted against the
TSEA, their understanding of Chinese affairs is only about
high-school level."
Members
of Congress û no matter how "educated" they may be
about China û are not likely to respond positively
to the sort of insults and threats issued by Mr. Liu.
Indeed,
your government's threatening military buildup and belligerent
rhetoric vis-a-vis Taiwan are PRECISELY what has prompted
such overwhelming Congressional support for the TSEA.
The
Senate will surely be enlightened by a clarification of
Mr. Liu's remarks and of your government's policy on the
use of force against Taiwan û so that we ourselves
can cast an "educated" vote on the TSEA as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
//signed//
JESSE
HELMS
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