A letter from Taiwan from an 83 year old man who hopes there will be no war between China and Taiwan in his lifetime

Note: This text appeared verbatim in Chinese and English as a half-page advertisement on the front page of the Chinese-language national daily newspaper serving readers across the island nation of Taiwan of The United Daily News. The English version appears here.

JOHN Y.K. PENG
Taipei, Taiwan
July 11, 2018



Brent Christenson
Director, A.I.T.
No. 7, Lane 134, Section 3, Xinyi Road,
Taipei, Taiwan

Dear Mr. Christenson,

I am a 83 years old Chinese citizen who lives in Taipei in Taiwan. We Taiwanese welcome you as the new
director of the American Institute in Taiwan, the unofficial U.S. visa and passport office in Taiwan.

I am sorry to say that you came to Taiwan at the wrong
time, because Taiwan is facing a new crisis.

First, your President Mr. Donald
Trump said he is going to review ｢the ''one China'' policy｣ and prepare to send U.S. Navy
battleships to be anchored in Taiwan ports.

At the same time your Congress passed
「The Taiwan Travel Act」 and wants to sell more sophisticated weapons to Taiwan.

This means to us that America wants Taiwan to become a useful baergaining chip to
bargain with China. Please do not forget this means war between Taiwan and
China.

To me, we Taiwanese
certainly do not want Taiwan to become another
Vietnam or Syria.

I sincerely hope you can help us by telling your government and its Congress:
please leave us alone. We Chinese people have 5,000 of  history,
we have enough intelligence to solve our own family problems.

Once again, your help to us will be greatly appreciated and hope you have a
pleasant stay in Taiwan but without war.

Sincerely yours,
John Y.K. Peng