Taiwanese VP: We Deserve Invitation to U.S.

Annette Lu, Taiwan's Vice President, said in an interview that China would not dare invade the island before the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. She also wondered why Taiwanese leaders have not received inviations to the White House.

``Frankly speaking, both of us deserve an invitation to visit Washington, D.C.,'' the vice president said, noting that their visits to U.S. soil are sharply restricted.

``If Mr. Arafat, if the Dalai Lama, can go, why can't we? We are freedom fighters,'' Lu said, referring to the deceased head of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the exiled religious leader of Tibet. ``Both of us received many awards in terms of freedom or human rights or peace. We certainly deserve an invitation.''

She has a good point. I think the problem with Taiwan is that it is simply too successful, despite attempts by China to prevent its success. Despite the enormous Chinese military buildup and its intent to "take back" Taiwan, people around the world look at the wealth of Taiwan and seem not to care about its freedom.