Direct Links Important for Reunification: Spokesman

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, May 30, 2002

Direct Links Important for Reunification: Spokesman

Beijing Wednesday reproached Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian for going against the common aspiration of all Chinese people for national reunification in order to promote creeping independence in his first two years in office.

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Beijing's first official comment on Chen's mid-term performance

Zhang Mingqing, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said the mainland will continue its policy of "listening to Chen's words and watching his deeds'' over the next two years until his term ends in 2004.

The policy was put forward after Chen, from the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, won the "presidential'' election in March 2000 as a major effort to warn him against taking any radical separatist moves.

"In the past two years, he has embraced neither the one-China principle nor the 1992 consensus and has even refused to recognize himself as Chinese,'' Zhang told a regular press conference.

"What's worse, he has been continuously engaging in gradual pro-independence activities and recently went even further, claiming that Taiwan is a sovereign state.''

Since taking office, Chen has conducted a string of de-Sinofication moves, aimed at creating a "Republic of Taiwan'' -- part of his creeping-independence policies.

Zhang, however, said the Taiwan leader cannot be the master of the cross-Straits question despite his conspiracy to split the island from the motherland.

He indicated that Beijing is fully capable of reuniting the island and mainland through its long-standing principle of "one country, two systems'' and by peaceful means, while not undertaking to renounce the use of force.

The spokesman's remarks are Beijing's first official comment on Chen's mid-term performance, since coming to power on May 20, 2000.

Zhang urged Chen to stop indulging in political show in his talk of improving cross-Straits relations and return to the one-China principle by taking practical steps.

"The way of blowing cold and hot will benefit neither the development of cross-Straits ties nor the reunification of the motherland,'' he said.

On the issue of three direct links

As for the establishment of the three direct links across the Taiwan Straits, Zhang said Beijing is looking forward to the negotiations between Taiwanese private groups and their mainland counterparts.

He added that the talks can be given substance if the Taiwan authorities entrust or authorize these private groups to negotiate directly with the mainland on opening trade, transport and postal services.

Beijing has been promoting the realization of these three links through people-to-people, industry-to-industry and company-to-company consultations.

Taipei has imposed a ban that has lasted five decades on the three direct links across the Taiwan Straits, but Chen said in early May that opening direct trade, transport and postal links between Taiwan and the mainland is "a road we must take.''

The leader was also quoted as saying that his administration will consider allowing private groups to negotiate directly with the mainland on opening the three links.

But Zhang called on Chen to put his pledge into practice as soon as possible instead of using the issue as nothing more than a way to garner votes.

He reiterated the mainland's stance that the three direct links must be taken as internal affairs within one country and in line with the principles of directness, bilateralism, reciprocity and mutual benefit.

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