Under pressure from the Clinton Administration, Mr. Chen demurred. Mr. Chen said today that he still planned to push for closer economic links between Taiwan and China, which had been one of his campaign themes. But he cautioned that negotiations on direct links in trade and transportation could not be divorced from larger political issues. While Mr. Chen's election was a stunning victory over the Nationalists, he won with only 39 percent of the vote. And with Taiwan's legislature dominated by the losing party, Mr. Chen's government has little muscle.
Critics accuse it of incompetence and legislative paralysis.
Mr. Chen has even been criticized by officials of his own Democratic Progressive Party. Political analysts said his sharper tone toward China is also calculated to shore up his domestic support. Despite the drumbeat of criticism, Mr. Chen seems unruffled. Those who support us have high expectations. Those who don't like us hope there will be chaos.