at least someone in the US is worried, it's just not Paal and his chums

Friendship with Taiwan remains strong, Paal says

and when did Paal become a man Taiwan can trust?

... Douglas Paal, director of the China Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace ... [and] a former director of the American Institute in Taiwan, said: “The people who make policy in the US are right to be unconcerned by the pace and scope of political detente with the mainland. It’s time for the Taiwanese people to realize the benefits of reduced tensions in the very important economic and cultural relationship with China.”

well that puts my mind at rest

He said that some people in Washington worried that Taiwan would rush into unification with China.

It's nice to hear that "some" people are worried. That's better than no one.

“I think this simply is not on the cards. The terms offered by China are not seen as generous by the Taiwanese. President Hu seems to recognize it is not going to happen any time soon,” Paal said. “Unification is not on the agenda. We can trust Taiwan’s vibrant democracy to make sure that does not happen. Even if a leader were to come to power tomorrow who wanted to unify with China, he couldn’t do it because of the Constitution.

Hasn't Paal heard of the ECFA and EIU (economically inevitable unification)?

"The people are the final arbiters. We should have confidence that it’s not going to happen.”

Not only does Ma not intend "the people" to vote in a referendum, he doesn't even dare to let the KMT-dominated legislature discuss the ECFA.