Why Lee Teng-hui Visited Cornell in 1995

Still on Richard C. Bush's book on Taiwan.

On why Lee Teng-hui visited Cornell University in 1995, Bush reasoned that Lee pursued the visit because the then Taiwanese President was frustrated that Beijing had been unresponsive to his approach on reunification and wanted "to improve his bargaining power and political position at home."

But Bush also concurred that the Taipei government aggravated the situation by creating the impression in Washington and Beijing that the focus of Lee's remarks in Cornell would be his Cornell years and Taiwan's economic reforms.

But as it turned out, that was not the case. As Bush pointed out: "In fact, the speech had an overtly political character, and both the United States and China felt betrayed."

Even as Bush acknowledged that what Lee had done "certainly did nothing to endear him to either Washington or Beijing", he nevertheless argued that the content of Lee's speech does not justify the conclusion that Lee was engaged in a separatist project.

Oh well. So Lee is a separatist only in form, but not in substance. No wonder Beijing is befuddled.