Sir, – The letter from the Ceann Comhairle to TDs warning them off contact with Taiwan read as if it had been dictated by the Chinese embassy in Dublin ("TDs are warned contact with Taiwan 'will offend China'", News, October 25th).
All other European countries, except the Vatican (for the time being), also follow the Chinese Communist Party’s line on Taiwan, yet most of them have no compunction about maintaining substantive relations, albeit unofficial, with the de facto independent state of Taiwan via their Taipei-based trade offices.
The IDA shuttered its Taipei office a few years ago, and now every time the Ireland-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Society is about to head off on a fact finding trip to Taiwan, the Chinese authorities have a moan in the Government’s ear.
If the US president doesn’t consider it necessary to obsequiously kowtow to China, why should the Irish Government? – Yours, etc,
DAMIAN GILHAWLEY,
Taipei, Taiwan.
Sir, – I am disappointed that the Ceann Comhairle has written to TDs suggesting that they desist from contacting officials in Taiwan and adhere to the Government’s “One China policy” which recognises mainland China only.
Perhaps the Government and the Department of Foreign Affairs should review their current rather unprincipled position, and should decide that the China they recognise is the one that has greater respect for human rights. – Yours, etc,
MARY MORRISSEY,
Castletownbere,
Co Cork.