US Department of State spokesman Richard Boucher said on Monday that Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian will have to explain whether what he said last week on promoting a new Taiwan "constitution" through referendum in 2006 is a violation of his previous pledge. 

Reviewing Chen's pledge in his inaugural address in the year 2000, and his subsequent reaffirmations in his 2004 inaugural speech, Boucher said: "We take those reaffirmations and pledge very seriously, particularly as they apply to this referendum on a new 'constitution.' We do not support 'Taiwan independence.' We are opposed to any referendum that would change Taiwan's status or move towards independence."

Obviously, Chen's latest attempt failed to curry favor with Washington, which has warned against any move by the island to unilaterally alter the cross-Straits status quo.

Chen has been known to use language to incite ideas of independence.

In his 2000 inauguration speech, Chen vowed he would not declare independence, not change the name of the island, nor would he constitutionalize the description of its relationship with the mainland as "state-to-state." He also said he would not push for a referendum on independence or abolish the "National Unification Council" or the "National Unification Guideline," as long as the mainland did not militarily attack the island.

The promises later became known as the "five noes."

But Chen then contradicted himself by telling the Taiwan press on December 22, 2003 "the 'five noes' never even existed" despite his efforts at portraying himself as a man loyal to his words.

In his 2004 inaugural speech Chen told his audience again: "The principles and promises in 2000 did not change over the past four years. Nor will they change in the next four years."

Was he talking about those promises that "never existed?"

He ate his words again by hastening the birth of a new "constitution" for Taiwan, essentially a timetable for the island's independence.

Chen's promise to not constitutionalize the "two states" theory has never prevented him from treating Taiwan and the mainland as two sovereign entities, including in his 2004 inaugural speech, and his "National Day" speech on October 10, 2004.

His major declaration in his October 10 speech that "the Republic of China (ROC) is Taiwan, and Taiwan is the ROC" clearly mirrors his baseline of "Taiwan independence."

(China Daily December 3, 2004)