Chen attempts to placate Beijing

Chen arrives in El Salvador

By Willy Lam
CNN's Senior China Analyst

(CNN) -- Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian is trying to placate Beijing even as the latter is mounting a new campaign to lure countries that still recognize the island.

While continuing with his tour of five Central American countries, Chen went out of his way to point out he was not trying to provoke the mainland Chinese administration.

Taiwan media on Monday quoted Chen as laying down five new principles on Taiwan-mainland relations while he was traveling in Guatemala.

The so-called "New Five Nos Principles" are: Chen's current trip and the recent agreement to buy American arms are not meant to provoke Beijing; Taipei will definitely not misinterpret the cross-Straits situation; Taiwan will not become a pawn of foreign powers; Taipei has never given up seeking better relations with the mainland; and coexistence and co-prosperity should be the goal of both sides.

Diplomatic analysts in Taipei said partly with the year-end legislative elections in Taiwan in mind, Chen did not want to be seen by Taiwan voters as having escalated tension with Beijing.

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The Chinese administration has strongly protested the high-profile treatment that Chen got when he was on transit in New York while on his way to Central America.

Moreover, the Taiwan media has reacted adversely to reports that Chen had brought along an aid package to Central America of NT$120 million.

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The analysts said Taipei was worried about a new round of diplomatic offensive by Beijing aimed at throttling Taiwan's international breathing space.

Of the 29 countries that recognize Taiwan, 14 are in Central and South America.

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A diplomatic source in Beijing said the Chinese leadership was hopeful that one or two of the 14 would switch to China in the near future.

The source said Beijing's new focus on that part of the world was illustrated by President Jiang Zemin's six-nation South American tour in April.

And the Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias left China on Monday after a five-day visit.

"Beijing's commercial and diplomatic clout is growing fast in Central, and particularly, South America," the source said.

"Chinese diplomats and businessmen are active even in several of the 14 countries that recognize Taiwan. The leaders in these countries are made to understand that their long-term economic links with China will soon outweigh Taiwan's aid packages."

Meanwhile, Taipei is bracing itself for the possible loss of the diplomatic recognition of Macedonia, after its foreign minister has indicated imminent ties to be established with China.