UK RESTRICTED
7
7. Taiwan's "elastic diplomacy" found some new outlets. Li Teng-hui visited Singapore from 6 to 9 March, and was given an excellent reception. A slight cloud was cast over the proceedings by the report that Singapore would eventually establish full diplomatic relations with China (following the decision by Indonesia to resume diplomatic relations). But both sides made it clear that the substance of Singapore Taiwan relations would not change. To preserve the niceties, Li was described as "President Li Teng-hui from Taiwan", a new formula in the Taiwan name game. The Chinese protested quite stongly over the Philippine-Taiwan Beneficial Relations Act which is before a House sub- Committee, which they claimed was opposed by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs and contrary to Presidential Order No 313.
8. Taiwan's relations with the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe took some more steps forward. After a bit of heart searching, the authorities decided to allow Miss Soviet Union and Miss Estonia attend an 'international' beauty pageant in Taipei, but could not bring themselves to allow the Soviet flag to be flown along with all the other national flags. More substantively, Poland's first trade delegation visited Taiwan towards the end of the month, and delegations from Taiwan visited Yugoslavia, Hungary and Bulgaria. Hopes that trade offices might be exchanged with Hungary and then Yugoslavia (the idea was approved by the Executive Yuan during the month) hit a snag, according to the Free China Journal, when the Hungarians were "subjected to pressure by internal interest groups and outside intervention by the chinese mainland regime."
9.
The Taiwan press took some delight in a European Parliament Resolution of 17 March on its attitude towards Peking and Taipei which referred to the "desirability of the reunification of Taiwan with China" which was seen as a great improvement on the original wording which referred to the "reintegration" of Taiwan into China. The resolution was described as the European Parliament's first open support for Taiwan.
Relations with China
10. In his report to the Chinese National People's Congress (NK) Premier Li Peng included a passage on relations with Taiwan. There was nothing new in this. Li noted with approval the developments in contacts between the two sides and hoped that exchanges would increase. He condemned 'elastic diplomacy'. In the margins of that meeting the Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang (RCK) (one of the eight so called democratic parties on the mainland) announced its willingness to have contact with the Kuomintang (Taiwan) to explore possibilities of reaching an
TH1AAI
UK RESTRICTED
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.