Chen leading Taiwan to disaster: China<\/p>\n
Jeremy Page and Benjamin Kang Lim, Reuters, Beijing\/Taipei<\/p>\n
China told Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian on Monday he was
\nleading the island to disaster by backing a referendum on
\nindependence, as Taipei tried to contain the fallout from his
\nboldest statement since taking power.<\/p>\n
A Beijing spokesman said Chen proved he was determined to seek
\nindependence for an island China sees as a rebel province and has
\nthreatened to attack if it declares statehood.<\/p>\n
\"We seriously warn Taiwan splittist forces not to wrongly
\njudge the situation, to immediately stop the horse at the edge of
\nthe precipice and to stop all splittist activities,\" said Li
\nWeiyi, spokesman for the cabinet's Taiwan Affairs Office.<\/p>\n
Beijing had been trying to avoid a spat with Taiwan in the
\nsensitive run-up to a leadership change later in the year, but
\nChen appears to be taking advantage of the reshuffle and strong
\nU.S. support to steal ground on the issue, analysts said.<\/p>\n
In his strongest comments on it since taking office in 2000,
\nChen said on Saturday that holding a referendum was a \"basic
\nhuman right\" and in reality there was \"one country on each side\"
\nof the Taiwan Strait.<\/p>\n
Taiwan's top policymaker on China sought to play down Chen's
\nremarks, saying they did not signal a change of policy and were
\naimed at safeguarding the current position.<\/p>\n
\"Do not over-interpret\" Chen's comments, said Tsai Ing-wen,
\nhead of the cabinet's Mainland Affairs Council.<\/p>\n
\"We do not want the independence and sovereignty we enjoy now
\nto be destroyed or changed,\" she told a news conference hours
\nbefore leaving for the United States with Premier Yu Shyi-kun.<\/p>\n
Tsai said she would reassure U.S. officials -- who said there
\nwas no change in Washington's adherence to a \"one China\" policy
\n-- that there had been no shift in Taipei's stance.<\/p>\n
A Taiwan military spokesman said there were no abnormal troop
\nmovements on the mainland, but Taiwan's stock market plunged
\nalmost 6 percent to an eight-month low over fears of a crisis in
\ncross-Strait ties.<\/p>\n
Taiwan businessmen have sunk up to US$100 billion into China
\nsince relations began thawing in the late 1980s and they are now
\nignoring appeals from Chen to invest elsewhere.<\/p>\n
China advocates peaceful reunification on the \"one country,
\ntwo systems\" deal given to the former European colonies of Hong
\nKong Kong and Macau, but refuses to renounce the use of force.<\/p>\n
That threat was repeated only last week as China celebrated
\nthe 75th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).<\/p>\n
However, military analysts say the PLA will not have the air
\nand sea power to overwhelm an island heavily armed with superior
\nweaponry until somewhere between 2005 and 2010.<\/p>\n
Analysts say Taiwan is keen to steal ground while it has the
\nmilitary advantage and the strong backing of the U.S.
\nadministration of President George W. Bush, who has said he will
\ndo \"whatever it takes\" to help Taiwan defend itself.<\/p>\n
Chen also appears to be using the distraction of the
\nleadership transition in Beijing to reinforce Taiwan's standing
\nwith key allies like the United States, some analysts say.<\/p>\n
\"There is a sense that Chen is taking advantage of the
\nparalysis in decision making that surrounds the leadership
\ntransition,\" said one Western diplomat.<\/p>\n
\"Chen's seeing how far he can push the envelope while still
\nbeing able to claim he has said nothing new.\"<\/p>\n
When Chen took office in May 2000, he extended an olive branch
\nto Beijing by promising not to declare statehood or push for an
\nindependence referendum, but on condition China abandon invasion
\nthreats.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/chen-leading-taiwan-to-disaster-china-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}