Lu against Beijing's 'One China' policy

Lu against Beijing's 'One China' policy

TAIPEI (Reuters): Taiwan's outspoken Vice President Annette Lu warned the island against falling into rival China's trap on Friday and said bowing to Beijing's "One China" policy was tantamount to surrender.

Lu said she was worried about growing voices in Taiwan's society for compromise on Beijing's cherished "One China" policy which would commit the island to reunification with the mainland.

"Some people are falling into Beijing's trap and dancing to Beijing's tune," said Lu, who swept to power with President Chen Shui-bian on a joint ticket in presidential elections in March.

"Voices in favor of unification are louder and louder at the moment. They say we should accept 'One China'. Accepting 'one China' is equivalent to surrender," Lu said in a speech.

"We can discuss about 'One China', but we cannot accept it." Under Beijing's definition, there is but one China under the Communist People's Republic, of which Taiwan is a part.

Lu's comments underscored anxiety within President Chen's Dmoecratic Progressive Party (DPP) just before an advisory group to Chen came up with fresh definitions of "One China".

Lee Yuan-tseh, Chen's top adviser on China policy who is leading a cross-strait supra-party task force, has said Chen is searching for new ideas to engineer a breakthrough with China that could help defuse a political crisis.

A task force was coming up with fresh definitions of the vexed "One China" principle to try to find a formula that would allow talks with China to reopen, Lee Yuan-tseh told Reuters on Nov. 10.

Taiwan people would be asked to comment on a number of definitions, possibly through a referendum, Lee has said. Whatever the definition of "One China" is certain to face strong resistance inside Chen's pro-independence DPP.

"We are very worried the supra-party will make some kind of conclusion on One China," said Su Huan-dji, who held a joint news conference with three DPP legislators on Friday.

"Once they draw that conclusion, it will unnecessarily bring chaos to domestic politics," legislator Su said.

Su said there were signs that Lee's cross-strait task force comprising of academics, politicians and business leaders had misjudged the situation.

The island's three main opposition parties -- the Nationalist Party, the People First Party, and the New Party boycotted the task force, but some opposition members joined in their private capacities.

Su said both sides can treat each other as "brother states" and increase bilateral contacts to improve ties.

Beijing was furious when Vice President Lu described Taiwan and China as "close neighbors but distant relatives" and branded Lu a "traitor" and "scum of the nation".

Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province and has threatened to invade if the island declared independence or dragged its feet on reunification.

Tensions between Taipei and Beijing had been simmering since the election of Chen, but eased somewhat after his repeated overtures.

Local opinion polls have consistently showed the majority of Taiwan's 23 million people favor a status quo.