Hsieh meets with Powell

This is very interesting.

Washington, July 25 (CNA) Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh met with former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell in Washington, D.C. Wednesday.

According to Hsieh, Powell reiterated during the meeting that the U.S. policy remains that Washington opposes any unilateral action to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.

However, Hsieh admitted that there are differences between Taiwan and the United States over the definition of the "status quo."

Also during the meeting, Powell mentioned that China has been waging psychological warfare against Taiwan over the past 50 years, and he encouraged Taiwan to be more confident in itself.

Powell expressed the hope that Taiwan can continue to strengthen its democracy and enjoy more freedom. However, he said this does not mean Taiwan should challenge the status quo.

According to Powell, although the fairness of the United States' "one China" policy is being questioned, the policy remains the most effective and feasible in terms of avoiding an escalation of tensions in the region.

Hsieh told reporters that the purpose of his current visit to the United States is to get across his campaign platform to the U.S. side and exchange views with American friends on important issues such as Taiwan's plan to hold a referendum on whether to apply to join the United Nations under the name of "Taiwan."

Officials at the U.S. State Department have expressed disapproval of the plan, saying the United State "opposes any initiative that appears designed to change Taiwan's status unilaterally."

During his stay in Washington, D.C., Hsieh has met with officials at the State Department, the Pentagon and the White House's National Security Council. (By Huang Jui-hung and Y.F. Low)