Seems that not all went smoothly on Secretary Powell's most recent foray to East Asia. A "slip of the tongue" may have produced not only a major brouhaha that managed to unite Taiwanese across the political spectrum in outrage. He may also have shot an $18 billion purchase by Taiwan of US weapons that the US has been pushing for the past three years.

The fateful words from the otherwise extremely cautious Powell, were uttered during a CNN interview in Beijing. From Lawrence Eyton in the Asia Times:

In interviews on Tuesday, Powell spoke in unusually harsh terms on the topic of Taiwan's sovereignty. "Taiwan is not independent. It does not enjoy sovereignty as a nation, and that remains our policy, our firm policy," he said.

In Taipei this was regarded as the harshest, most decisive expression of this principle made for some time, at least during the administration of US President George W Bush.
[...]
But it was Powell's subsequent remarks that left Taiwan in a state of shock. "We want to see both sides not take unilateral action that would prejudice an eventual outcome, a reunification that all parties are seeking," Powell told CNN.
[...]
So, apropos of Powell, one simple fact is that not all parties are seeking unification. Forty-three percent of Taiwanese (pro-independence plus pro-status quo forever) don't want it at any price and another 40% don't even want to consider it until China has changed into a democracy - the essence of the status quo now/decision later position.

But there is another problem on top of this, which is that it is a long-held US position that it does not take sides on any particular outcome in negotiations between Taiwan and China, nor does it act as a mediator; it only insists that the issues between them be solved peacefully. And yet Powell's remarks suggest that the United States does in fact favor one particular outcome - reunification - and, of course, that just happens to be the outcome least favored by most Taiwanese.
[...]
Since Tuesday, in fact almost since the CNN broadcast, the US has been trying to put things right. The State Department said the same day that Powell had not meant "reunification" - that was a slip of the tongue. What he had meant was "resolution." Wednesday saw the Taiwan Foreign Ministry summoning US representative to Taipei Douglas Paal, a man before whom it usually quails, to "clarify the US position". Paal said the US position hadn't changed but he could not say why Powell had used the word "reunification". A clearly still very angry Foreign Minister Mark Chen later said that Powell's remarks had damaged Taiwan's democracy and hurt its status, and he demanded a US restatement of the "Six Assurances".

The Six Assurances, enunciated on July 14, 1982, made clear that the United States:

• Had not agreed to set a date for ending arms sales to the Republic of China on Taiwan.
  
• Had not agreed to hold prior consultations with the Chinese government on arms sales to the Republic of China on Taiwan.
  
• Would not play any mediation role between Taiwan and China.
  
• Had not agreed to revise the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act.
  
• Had not altered its position regarding sovereignty over Taiwan.
  
• Would not exert pressure on the Republic of China on Taiwan to enter negotiations with the People's Republic of China.

Currently the situation is that both the United States and Taiwan know that Powell goofed badly. The US wants to pass it off as a simple slip of the tongue. But Taiwan is well aware that China is likely to ignore a denial and make as much hay from Powell's remark as it can. Indeed, on Wednesday Zhang Mingqing, spokesman for the Chinese government's Taiwan Affairs Office, told a press conference, "Some people have said Powell made a slip of the tongue, but I don't believe it."

Taiwan well knows that in this game, something once said can be used and exploited, even if it is was said by accident. It can only be negated by categorical denial as part of a restatement of policy. This is why it wants a restatement of the Six Assurances, so the lasting impression is not that the US favors reunification but that the US will not play a role and does not favor any particular outcome. The US is reluctant to make Powell look foolish. It will be interesting to see who prevails.

With the Chinese harshly attacking the Bush Doctrine and the Iraq adventure upon Colin's return, seems like he must not have had a very good time on what could be his final tour of East Asia in his current capacity.

And to add insult to injury, he just had his head handed to him via a public smack-down by the former Foreign Minister of India. Think maybe he's about had it with this job?