US flails as Hu Jintao gains the upper hand

The fuss stirred up by the talks that Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (??) and People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (???) held with Chinese President Hu Jintao (???) has finally settled down. However, as the dust clears we can can perceive a major change in the dynamics between China, Taiwan and the US regarding the Taiwan Strait.

Hu has managed to take the upper hand in cross-strait issues from the US. Washington, whose role no longer appears quite as dominant as it was, is now vying with Beijing for influence over Taiwan. In addition, the US' ability to define the nature of the status quo in the Taiwan Strait is beginning to slip.

In the past, the US' dominant role was due in part to its superior military, as well as Taiwan's refusal to bow before Chinese intimidation. As a protector of Taiwan's democratic freedoms, US intervention had a degree of legitimacy.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/edit/archives/2005/05/18/2003255492