Chinese efforts to thwart support of Taiwan backfire

[dArKeR]

By Charles Snyder
STAFF REPORTER , IN WASHINGTON
Sunday, Mar 14, 2004,Page 1

Taiwan supporters in the US Congress and the Chinese Embassy in Washington have mounted a war of words over congressional moves to endorse next Saturday's referendum, but the Chinese actions are apparently backfiring by convincing more and more lawmakers to sign a letter expressing US backing for the referendum, congressional staffers say.

The congressional letter, which is being circulated by Representatives Peter Deutsch, a Florida Democrat, and Dana Rohrabacher, a California Republican, was sent to House members Thursday morning.

But even before that, Chinese Ambassador Yang Jiechi (???), hearing of the efforts, sent an e-mail letter to House members urging them not to sign the Deutsch-Rohrabacher letter.

That action, aides to the two representatives say, piqued the representative's interest -- and perhaps resentment -- resulting in a flood of phone calls to the two authors even before the Deutsch-Rohrabacher letters reached the members' offices.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2004/03/14/2003102369

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