Editorials
Thursday, July 2, 1998

Clinton more tactful
than candid on Taiwan

EVER since the Communist victory in 1949, the United States' policy on China and Taiwan has been a sensitive subject. President Clinton's latest pronouncement, made during his current visit to China, broke no new ground. But the president's remarks pleased the Beijing leadership while irking the Taiwan government.

During a discussion with residents of Shanghai Tuesday, Clinton said he had reiterated the U.S. policy in his meeting with President Jiang Zemin, "which is that we don't support independence for Taiwan, or two Chinas, or one Taiwan-one China. And we don't believe that Taiwan should be a member in any organization for which statehood is a requirement."

The president's remarks angered Taiwan. A foreign ministry spokesman responded, "The United States and Chinese Communists have no rights and are in no position to conduct bilateral talks on anything related to our affairs."

The "three no's" formula was publicly used last fall by the State Department, which viewed it as a reiteration of longstanding policy. But some scholars and supporters of Taiwan say the formula, as it was expressed then, was more detailed and restrictive than past statements, and called on Clinton to disavow it.

Officials traveling with Clinton tried to discount the significance of Clinton's remarks. They pointed out that there was no intention of putting the statement in a written communique, which would give the words more weight.

Press Secretary Mike McCurry also noted that the president had restated U.S. policy on Taiwan in an answer to a question during an appearance at Beijing University on Monday. At that event, Clinton said: "First of all, the United States policy is not an obstacle to the peaceful reunification of China and Taiwan. Our policy is embodied in the three communiques and in the Taiwan Relations Act. Our country recognized China and embraced a one-China policy almost 20 years ago. And I reaffirmed our one-China policy to President Jiang in our meetings."

The emphasis in that earlier statement was on peaceful reunification, which wasn't mentioned the second time Clinton dealt with the issue. Washington has intervened militarily in the past to protect Taiwan from invasion, the first time back in the Truman administration. Only two years ago Clinton sent two aircraft carrier groups to the area after China fired missiles toward Taiwan and began conducting military exercises nearby in a brazen attempt to intimidate voters in the Taiwan presidential election.

In his Shanghai remarks, Clinton focused on restraints on Taiwan, particularly with regard to independence. He should have reiterated that the U.S. is committed to assist in Taiwan's defense and had taken action in that role as recently as two years ago. But that is not what the Chinese wanted to hear.

Diana’s museum

CONVERSION of the environs of the grave site of Princess Diana is being likened to Elvis Presley's Graceland. The comparison may be appropriate in some respects, although Diana and Elvis were icons of different sorts. Charitable benefits to be derived from what is being dubbed as "Diana-ville" can be expected to drown out criticism of the site as a high-priced tourist mecca of questionable taste.

The Diana museum, souvenir shop and cafe opened yesterday on what would have been her 37th birthday on her family's Althorp estate about 75 miles northwest of London. The museum will remain open until Aug. 30, the eve of the first anniversary of her death in a Paris car crash, to reopen for the tourist season next year.

The opening followed a $65-a-ticket charity concert organized by Earl Charles Spencer, Diana's brother. The earl became a celebrity in his own right when his speech at Diana's funeral gained worldwide attention for its critical references to the royal family and tabloid journalists.

For $16, visitors will gain access to a museum with exhibits including Diana's wedding dress and other items of her wardrobe, a collection of home movies and toys from her childhood, her school reports and film of her charity work with AIDS patients and landmine victims. The island where she is buried, in a lake on the estate, will be off-limits to visitors.

Spencer says the profits will go to charities supported by Diana, but he has been less than candid about what portion of the proceeds those are likely to be. He says he built the museum at a cost of $5 million in response to public demand for a place to honor and remember Princess Diana. He says he has to recoup his expenses but has no intention of profiting personally.

If the project generates large amounts of revenue for Diana's favorite charities, Spencer's effort will be worthwhile. The phenomenal outpouring of grief over Diana's death made it clear that a memorial of some sort is needed.

UH communications

THE University of Hawaii has been fined $1.3 million by the state Health Department for violations of the hazardous waste laws. The university's explanation is that the employees who handle hazardous wastes on the Manoa campus failed to tell administrators that the accumulated laboratory wastes couldn't be disposed of within three months, as required by law.

Eugene Imai, senior vice president for administration, explained, "The operation consists of three individuals, and they were overwhelmed." They have been reprimanded for failing to report the waste backlog. Evidently the problem could have been handled if the three had asked for help.

We have to wonder what is going on at the university when no one in authority is told about a problem resulting in a million-dollar fine. Isn't anybody communicating up there?

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John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher

David Shapiro, Managing Editor

Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor

Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors

A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor