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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, January 22, 2002

Self-destructive 'Gradual Taiwan Independence'

Through the method of "gradual Taiwan independence", the Taiwan authorities attempt to add up minor changes into major ones, and quantitative change into qualitative change, thereby laying the bedding for final "Taiwan independence", and fulfilling their "dream of Taiwan independence".


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Since he assumed office, the leader of Taiwan authorities has taken incessant actions for so-called "gradual Taiwan independence":

--Ordering the army to cancel anti-"Taiwan independence" education and demolish "national reunification"-related billboards in the barracks;

--Tearing down posters relating to "reunification of China" on the square of Taipei;

--Regarding Chinese history and Chinese literature as foreign history and foreign literature;

--Stopping the use of so-called "national emblem" in offices stationed abroad;

--Doing away with the "information bureau" symbols carrying with Chinese maps;

--Forcing a certain Taiwan academic body to alter its title of "China" on its annual; and

--Putting added character "Taiwan" on the travel documents of the general public in Taiwan.

Through the method of "gradual Taiwan independence", the Taiwan authorities attempt to add up minor changes into major ones, and quantitative change into qualitative change, thereby laying the bedding for final "Taiwan independence", and fulfilling their "dream of Taiwan independence".

In the face of the strong query of Taiwan's public opinions, the Taiwan authorities claim that these moves do not involve the question regarding reunification and "independence" and have nothing to do with the alteration of the "national title".

To make clear whether the trouble waters stirred up by Taiwan authorities themselves can be "clarified", let's have a look at the statement published by a "Taiwan independence" organization called "Taiwan new century culture and education foundation" on December 19 last year.

The "foundation" set forth a whole set of short-, medium- and long-term plans which try to seek "rectification of name" for Taiwan, and clamors for participating in international organizations and activities in the name of "Taiwan".

The so-called "medium-term" method is: immediately altering the name of China in their external contacts, including putting the added note of "Taiwan" on "passports"; so-called medium-term" means that through social education, persuasion and various other means, changing the names of various types of organizations and companies containing the term of China; so-called "long-term" means to hold "all-people referendum" during the general election in 2004, formally "revising the constitution" and "enacting the constitution", and selecting a "new national title", so as to turn Taiwan into a "country in name as well as in reality".

It is not difficult to see that the Taiwan authorities' series of "gradual Taiwan independence" actions and their "de-China-oriented" policy being comprehensively pushed in the fields of ideology, culture, history, education and dissemination closely echo the claim of "Taiwan independence" elements, and this is by no means a coincidence. The "clarification" of Taiwan authorities is as clear as "Sima Zhao's trick obvious to every one in the street".

The intention of "gradual Taiwan independence" is no more than an attempt to instill the "sense of Taiwan independence" into the minds of the general public of Taiwan, to change step by step their concept of identification of China; at the same time, give prominence to Taiwan's "sovereign and independence" status, and challenge the one-China principle. In the eyes of Taiwan authorities and "Taiwan independence" elements, the term of China is intolerable. In Taiwan, they would be satisfied with nothing short of deleting all China-related titles, indications and symbols.

Chen Shui-bian adopts the tactic of graduation by breaking up the whole into parts, advancing step by step toward "Taiwan independence", he thinks himself clever, but he hardly realizes that his practice is tantamount to digging his own grave. Be it "gradual Taiwan independence" or "radical Taiwan independence", it is an act of playing with fire by posing a challenge to the one-China principle. What "gradual Taiwan independence" nibbles at is peace, what it stimulates is disaster, what it infringes upon is the fundamental interests of the entire Chinese people, including Taiwan compatriots, and what it attempts to shake is the foundation for peaceful reunification.

With each step "gradual Taiwan independence" taking, it will get closer to the abyss of disaster.



By People's Daily Online

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