Taiwan tops Wen's U.S. agenda
By Willy Wo-Lap Lam, CNN Senior China Analyst
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Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian's policies are causing alarm in Beijing.
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(CNN) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will urge the White House to come up with a clear-cut statement opposing Taiwan independence, during a visit to the United States next month.
In addition he will press the U.S. not to back what China regards as ancillary steps towards Taiwan separatism, such as holding referendums and changing the island's constitution.
Wen, also a senior member of the Communist party's Leading Group on Foreign Affairs (LGFA), is due to visit Washington, New York and Boston during his December 7-10 U.S. tour.
Official Chinese media Wednesday quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao as saying Wen and President George W. Bush would discuss Taiwan, which Liu termed "the core, most sensitive question in Sino-U.S. relations."
A Chinese source in Beijing said Wen had for the past few weeks been consulting with top Chinese experts on the U.S. and Taiwan to map out strategies for his upcoming tour.
The source said Wen and President Hu Jintao, also Head of the LGFA, hoped an unequivocal statement opposing referendums and constitutional changes in Taiwan could be coaxed out of Bush.
"The Chinese leadership is convinced that it is Washington's ambiguity on Taiwan separatism that has encouraged Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian," the source said.
"For example, American politicians have only said they 'do not support' Taiwan separatism -- and they have taken ambiguous stances on the issues of referendums and constitutional change."
Wen is also gunning for a pledge by Washington to scale down the sophistication of American arms being shipped to Taiwan.
The official Chinese media has in the past month blasted U.S. politicians who have been urging Taiwan to buy more American weapons.
Apart from Taiwan, current trade disputes between the two countries regarding garments and TV sets will also top Wen's agenda.
Wen and trade officials accompanying him are said to be eager to work out a more long-term framework with Washington on settling trade disputes.
In New York, Wen will visit the Stock Exchange and woo U.S. investors during talks with the American corporate community.
He is due to give a speech about the world view of the new Chinese leadership at Harvard University.
Wen, perhaps the closest political ally of Hu's, will also visit Canada and Mexico before heading home.
The premier is expected to be one of the first foreign dignitaries to meet the new Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin, whose swearing-in ceremonies are scheduled for the 12th.
If successful, Wen's American tour will help consolidate the one-year-old Hu-Wen administration, which does not want trouble on the foreign or Taiwan fronts to distract them from the central task of economic development.
