Lee Teng-hui's Visit to Cornell Draws Protest from Chinese Students

Lee Teng-hui's Visit to Cornell Draws Protest from Chinese Students

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Some 500 Chinese students and scholars gathered at Cornell University Wednesday to protest against Lee Teng-hui's visit to the school which threatens to endanger relations between China and the United States and between both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) finds it hard to remain silent "when our national interest is in danger," said the non-political organization in an open letter read out at the rally.

Recalling Lee's previous visit to Cornell in 1995, the letter said it led to the deterioration of Sino-American relations to the lowest point in history due to Lee's separatist remarks.

Lee is seen as a symbol of the "One China, One Taiwan" policy and history has proved that he is most interested in taking advantage of Cornell University's fame for the purpose of his political propaganda, the letter added.

The rally was attended by more than 100 Chinese students and scholars at Cornell as well as those from more than 10 other universities in New York State, such as University of Rochester and Syracuse University.

It was also joined by several pro-unification and anti- separatist Chinese organizations in New York City and Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia-based Global Chinese Alliance for the Unification of China condemned Lee for "trying to exploit the present interventions by foreign forces to foster popular beliefs in Taiwan for independence."

Lee was on the second day of his "private" trip to Cornell, with a full-day engagement.