China’s Influence Over Taiwan

I am writing to express my outrage at Robert Dallek’s comments on the China-Taiwan conflict (Opinion, March 17). He proposed for the U.S. to negotiate with China an agreement that will “bring Taiwan into Beijing’s orbit in 12 or 15 years, with guarantees of economic and political freedoms comparable to those given Hong Kong.”

What makes him think Beijing is capable of keeping a promise or has the credibility to make a promise is beyond me. Beijing has promised the U.S. not to sell missiles to Iran and Pakistan. Has it kept its promise? What Beijing will do to Hong Kong is still anyone’s guess.

Beijing has proved itself to be one the most dictatorial and oppressive regimes in the world. If Dallek is willing to live under that kind of environment, he is welcome to move there. But he has no right to tell all the free people in Taiwan to do so!

My words to Mr. Dallek: It is irresponsible in the extreme to live a safe Pacific Ocean away and talk about negotiating away 22 million people’s freedom and well-being! Please shut up!

JASMINE KUNG

Anaheim

* Robert Scheer argues in his March 19 column, “Republicans Steer Nation Into Dangerous Straits,” that it falls to President Clinton to “clean up Nixon’s mess” in China policy.

In agreeing with the Chinese in 1972 that there was one China and Taiwan was part of it, President Nixon left to the Chinese--on both the mainland and on Taiwan--the question of who would govern that China in the future. This formulation, still applauded by many on Taiwan, permitted U.S.-China relations to take shape.

In a heroic but unavailing election-year attempt to turn Republicans into the villains of China policy, Scheer neglects to mention that it was President Carter who decided to recognize the People’s Republic of China and cancel the U.S.-Taiwan mutual defense treaty.

JOHN H. TAYLOR, Director

Nixon Library & Birthplace

Yorba Linda