Mr. Armitage suggested that Taiwan's planned ballot was not intended to resolve a truly contentious domestic issue. He warned that it was destabilizing volatile relations between Taiwan and mainland China.
"As I understand it," Mr. Armitage said, "referenda are reserved for issues that are very divisive or very difficult, and the wording that I see in the referendum seems to be neither divisive or difficult, so I think this raises questions about the motives of those who want to put it forward."