Chen's Pro-independence Remarks, Dangerous Provocation

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, August 07, 2002

Chen's Pro-independence Remarks, Dangerous Provocation

China's Xinhua New Agency released a commentary Tuesday denouncing the separatist remarks made by Chen Shui-bian, leader of the Taiwan authority.

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China's Xinhua New Agency released a commentary Tuesday denouncing the separatist remarks made by Chen Shui-bian, leader of the Taiwan authority.

In his speech to the pro-independence World Federation of Taiwanese Associations in Tokyo via teleconferencing on Saturday, Chen said that he backed legislation on a referendum on Taiwan's future and destiny at an appropriate occasion. He also preached that "each side (of the Taiwan Straits) is a country'' and that Taiwan will "walk down its own road.''

Chen's overture is exactly the same as, or even worse than, the notorious "two states'' theory put forward by his predecessor Lee Teng-hui in July 1999, in which he defined the relations between Taiwan and the mainland as having a "state-to-state or at least a special state-to-state relationship.''

When he took office, Chen said he would follow the "Four Nos'' which said Taiwan would not declare independence, change the "national title," enlist the concept of "state-to-state" relations between the island and the mainland in its "constitution," nor promote any referendum to change the status quo in regards to independence.

In fact, the Taiwan leader has not only refused to accept the one-China principle, denied the "1992 consensus", held back talks between the two sides, but also has gone too far in promoting Taiwan's independence gradually with all his wits.

The Chinese government firmly opposed Chen's separatist remarks and for several times demanded him to keep his promises for the sake of the stability and the promotion of cross-Straits ties.

However, for the past two years, the Taiwan leader wrongly calculated the situations in and out of the island province, overestimated his own strength until openly breached "each side (of the Taiwan Straits) is a country'' this time.

The leader of Taiwan authority often talked about the wish of Taiwan people, but actually that's his own wish and his political prop. As we all know, most Taiwan people hope to develop local economy, improve living standard, and maintain a stable relationship with the motherland. However, Chen has neglected the wish of Taiwan residents and has imposed the myth of "Taiwan Independence" which is upheld by a group of pro-independence diehards only, and not the island's 23 million people.

The leader alleged that "each side (of the Taiwan Straits) is a country'' was a reaffirmation and description to the status quo; but the status quo is that the two sides across the Taiwan Straits belong to one China, as various facts and laws have proved. On the contrary, it's Chen himself who wants to change the status quo, who wants to separate Taiwan from China, thus to jeopardize the well-being of Taiwan people and drag Taiwan into war.

Taiwan has never in its history been an independent country and its sovereignty belongs to the 1.3 billion Chinese people including those in Taiwan. All the Chinese people as a whole have the final say in deciding Taiwan's future. In fact, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and the majority of countries throughout the world including the United States accept the one-China principle. Nothing can alter the truth.

Chen once said he was not a troublemaker. But his overt challenge to the one-country principle is in open defiance of world order, isn't he a troublemaker in cross-Straits relations, just as his predecessor Li Teng-hui was?

To keep China's territorial intact and maintain sovereignty is of the highest importance to Chinese people, and this will never change. China needs a peaceful environment to further its development and hopes to settle the Taiwan problem in a peaceful way. However, China will never sit and watch a handful of Taiwan separatists who impose their separatist attempts.

In fact, Chen's remarks on "Each side is a country" have been widely condemned among overseas Chinese compatriots and the international community. His pro-independence conspiracy will not succeed.

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