Letters to the editor

Instead of protesting, students should support democracy in Taiwan

Regarding 'New York protest draws Chinese grad students' (Fri., Nov. 21):

Sam Cooper's article did not mention the reason for President Chen's visit to New York. He was there to receive a humanitarian award for his work promoting democracy and human rights in Taiwan. How sad that these Chinese grad students from Princeton would feel the need to protest President Chen's incredible accomplishments instead of supporting the cause of freedom and democracy in Taiwan! I also traveled to New York to see the president, but I joined a crowd of thousands of cheering Taiwanese and Taiwanese Americans in welcoming him to America. For a majority of Taiwanese, President Chen is a hero. He has stood up time and again to the authoritarian Chinese Communist regime and devoted his life to serving his people, at great personal risk.

Han Liang GS, head of Princeton Association for Chinese Scholars and Students, justifies his decision to protest President Chen's visit by saying, "I think Taiwan shouldn't be independent from China." I would remind Mr. Liang that whatever his personal opinions may be, he does not have any right to determine the future of Taiwan. That right belongs to the 23 million people of Taiwan alone — and not to the Chinese or their government. How dare the ACSS presume to deny the Taiwanese people their independence? Perhaps Mr. Liang has never heard of the principle of self-determination? I for one think that Mr. Liang's time (and that of his organization) would be better spent trying to protest China's abysmal human rights record, rather than bullying small island nations. The ACSS should examine its motives and morality before embarking on another such ill-guided venture in the future. Catherine Chou Co-President Princeton Taiwanese American Students Association