BEIJING –– A "strongly indignant" China on Thursday accused President Bush of further damaging already strained ties with his blunt warnings about America's will to defend Taiwan. "There is only one China in the world. Taiwan is part of China. It is not a protectorate of any foreign country," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said at a news conference. "The Chinese government and people are strongly indignant and opposed" to Bush's comments, Zhang said. Zhang noted that Bush's "mistaken remarks" came on the heels of an American offer Tuesday of arms to Taiwan, which China strongly opposes. "This shows that it has drifted further on a dangerous road," Zhang said, referring to the United States. Taiwan remained generally low-key in the wake of the favorable developments, although its Foreign Ministry affirmed U.S. efforts to safeguard regional stability and said "we must build up our own defenses." In strong remarks aimed at Beijing, Bush told The Associated Press on Wednesday that U.S. military force is "certainly an option" if China acts on long-standing threats and strikes Taiwan. The two sides split amid civil war in 1949, and China doesn't rule out using force to assert control over the island it claims as a breakaway province. Bush issued a bolder warning in an earlier TV interview with ABC's "Good Morning America," saying America has an obligation to defend Taiwan if China attacks. The president's remarks ventured far beyond past U.S. policy, which was strategically vague and avoided specifically describing what America would do if China invaded Taiwan. U.S. policy-makers have only warned that such a move would be of "grave concern" to Washington. The goal of U.S. policy has been to keep Taiwan from provoking China by declaring independence, and to keep China worried about the possibility of American forces defending the island from Chinese attack. Zhang said Bush's comments violated China-U.S. communiques in which Washington acknowledged Beijing's claim to Taiwan. She said his comments would inflame China-Taiwan tensions "and will create further damage for China-U.S. relations." Washington must "correct its mistakes and stop interfering in China's internal affairs with the question of Taiwan," she said. "We are deeply concerned." In Taiwan, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Catherine Chang read a brief statement over the phone and would not respond to questions. "We affirm the United States' effort and determination to safeguard the security across the Taiwan Strait and in the Asian Pacific region. But we Taiwanese must understand that to enhance our security, we must build up our own defenses," the statement said. Bush's remarks made the front-pages of Taiwan's leading papers and were broadcast at the top of television newscasts. "Bush: If communist China attacks Taiwan, the US won't rule out getting involved," said the Chinese-language China Times, a Taiwanese daily. In Tokyo, Japan's defense chief, Toshitsugu Saito, said of Bush's comments: "It shows strong commitment to defend Taiwan." Australian Prime Minister John Howard urged calm and restraint. "We don't want to see any aggression by China against Taiwan," Howard said. "We don't want to see any wider tension escalate between the United States and China." Bush's comments and his arms offer to Taiwan added to tensions sparked by an April 1 collision of a U.S. spy plane and a Chinese fighter jet. The Chinese pilot is believed dead, and China detained the U.S. plane's 24 crew members for 11 days after they made an emergency landing on southern Hainan Island. China is still holding their plane. Last week, Washington also angered China by approving a visa for former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui, who is despised by Beijing as a barrier to Taiwan's unification with the mainland. Washington said its offer to sell Taiwan destroyers, submarines, anti-sub planes and other advanced weapons was necessary to ensure that the island could meet the rising military threat from China. China accuses the United States of violating a 1982 joint communique under which Washington pledged to gradually reduce the numbers and quality of weapons it sells to Taiwan. Beiijing has reminded Washington to adhere to its commitment not to have official relations with Taiwan and not to challenge Beijing's claim that the island belongs to China. "The unbridled sales of weapons will not bring security, and relying on foreign powers will not thwart China's reunification," the Chinese Communist Party's main newspaper, People's Daily, said in an editorial. Taiwan must concede it is part of China and take "quick steps to ease and improve relations," the paper said.
George Bush was thrilled at finally being able to sleep in the White House, but something very strange happened. On the first night he was awakened by George Washington's ghost. Welcoming the opportunity to communicate with the father of our country, Bush asked, "President Washington, what is the best thing I can do to help the nation?" "Set an honest and honorable example, just as I did," Washington said. Later that night, the ghost of Thomas Jefferson appeared in the bedroom, and Bush asked him the same question. "Cut taxes and reduce the size of government," Jefferson said. Still later, the ghost of Abraham Lincoln appeared and Bush asked once again, "Abe, please tell me, what is the best thing I can do to help the nation?" Lincoln replied, "Go see a play."
