Chen Shui-bian's latest offer of "goodwill" turns out to be another sham, said a commentary carried on China Daily Friday, May 21.

In his 2000 inauguration speech, Chen Shui-bian vowed he would not declare independence, not change the name of the island, nor would he constitutionalize the description of Taiwan's relationship with the mainland as "state-to-state." He also said he would not push for a referendum on independence or abolish the "Programme for State Reunification" or "Commission for State Reunification" as long as the mainland did not militarily attack Taiwan.

These promises later became known as "five noes", said the commentary.

Yet he then reversed himself, telling the Taiwan press on December 22, 2003 that "the 'five noes' had never existed at all" despite his efforts at portraying himself as a man loyal to his word.

Yesterday, Chen told his audience again: "The principles and promises (extended) in 2000 did not change during the past four years. Neither will they change in the next four years."

Was he talking about the promises that "had never existed?"

Many wonder whether his domestic audience was the main target of Chen's speech. What most of the overseas audience heard, however, were the very latest, and the most beguiling words of a slippery politician.

Chen has not cancelled the "Programme for State Reunification" and "Commission for State Reunification." He has proposed to set up a "Programme for Peace and Development across the Taiwan Straits" and "Commission for Peace and Development across the Taiwan Straits." The former has "ceased to exist except in name" at Chen's hands, according to a high-ranking official in Chen's "cabinet."

Chen's promise to not constitutionalize the "two states" theory has never prevented him from treating Taiwan and the mainland as two sovereign entities, including in yesterday's speech.

Just as in 2000, his latest inaugural address is once again gaudily decorated with such "universal human values" as "public welfare," "freedom and democracy," as well as "peace and goodwill."

Chen knows the value of overseas sympathy in his attempts to internationalize his case.

He also knows the lack of legal grounds for his independence pursuit under the framework of current international law and norms.

So he attempts to lead his audience into his future world free of international law and codes of conduct.

Besides a tantalizing picture that appeals to people of all cultural backgrounds, that distant prospect to some extent belies Chen's fear of the existing rules of the game in international politics.

No valid international law can lend legitimacy to his fantasy of defining Taiwan as a sovereign state independent of China.

Chen announced an ambitious scheme to challenge the status quo - he promised to win the island a membership in the World Health Organization within two years.

"President" Chen is an expert at preconditions. His game of words on the "five noes" is made up entirely of tricks with preconditions.

His "five noes" is first, and officially, based on the condition that the mainland "does not militarily attack" Taiwan. By last December, however, the precondition became "if the Chinese communists have no intention to use force against Taiwan."

The fact that Chen continues his provocations to invite force spells out the precondition for himself. With that expertise, Chen Shui-bian should not be ignorant of the precondition for a WHO membership - the applicant has to be a sovereign state, which Taiwan is not.