Word: taipei
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...first, the 17 million citizens of Taiwan responded with restraint to the stunning news of Washington's decision to sever diplomatic relations with Taipei and establish full ties with Peking. But with the approach of Jan. 1, the date that U.S. recognition of the People's Republic would be formally declared, reserve gave way to rage. Last week those feelings exploded in an outbreak of violence...
...trouble began when U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher and ten aides arrived at Taipei's Sung-Shan airport to discuss an inflammatory question: How to switch from official to unofficial relations with the newly derecognized government of Taiwan? The first sign of difficulties came when Vice Foreign Minister Frederick Ch'ien greeted the Americans before TV cameras with undisguised disgruntlement. "I meet you here at this time with a heavy and pained heart," he said. Turning to the ashen-faced and unsmiling Christopher, he added: "Your visit here should be the first step in your government...
...capital. Many were armed with placards reading FREE CHINA WILL NEVER FALL and CARTER SELLS PEANUTS AND FRIENDS. The Americans were trapped in their cars for over an hour while demonstrators pelted the caravan with eggs, mud, sand and paint. Christopher and Leonard Unger, now the ex-Ambassador to Taipei, suffered minor cuts from glass shattered...
...preliminary talks between Christopher's group and Taiwan's President Chiang Ching-kuo were beclouded by the country's dark mood. Negotiations, scheduled to take place at the Foreign Ministry, were shifted to Taipei's Grand Hotel when 20,000 protesters gathered in front of the ministry. Some demonstrators stomped on heaps of peanuts, yelling, "This is Carter!" One desperate taxi driver doused himself with gasoline and, shouting "Long live the Republic of China!" set himself afire in his car; he was rescued and sent to a hospital...
Initial public response was mixed, even confused. According to a poll by the New York Times and CBS, Americans opposed Carter's decision to transfer U.S. recognition from Taipei to Peking by 45% to 32%; but by 58% to 26%, the public opposed further arms sales to Taiwan...