'Defensive referendum' a blatant provocation to 'cross-strait' relations

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, December 10, 2003

'Defensive referendum' a blatant provocation to 'cross-strait' relations

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Recently Chen Shui-bian has kept repeating his clamor for so-called "defensive referendum" on Mar. 20, 2004 when Taiwanese cast their votes during the election. By doing so he brazenly directed the spearhead of attack against the Chinese mainland and continued to make dangerous provocation of the cross-strait relationship. This has not only triggered new disputes on the island, but also caused new tension in the situation of the Taiwan Straits.

Under the serious warning of the Chinese mainland, the pressure of the international community and the restraint of the mainstream popular will in Taiwan Island, the legislation body of the Taiwan region, while examining the so-called referendum law, did not explicitly include the content of "change in flag, anthem, name and territory" and clauses relating to "constitutional referendum", thus the Chen Shui-bian authority's plot to make frantic provocation to the mainland and create tension in cross-Strait relations could not completely succeed. However, just when the islanders were eagerly hoping to "get a breathing spell out of the vortex of referendum", Chen Shui-bian continued to take up the "referendum" topic by making use of the "defensive referendum" clause contained in the "referendum law" to intensify the controversy in Taiwan Island and the confrontation between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.

Although Chen Shui-bian camouflaged his risky move with slogans like "deepening democracy", " building psychological defense", "securing the present condition of Taiwan", his only real aim, as the public opinion has pointed out, was deliberately to raise the clamor for "Taiwan independence", cause tension in cross-Strait relations, and put the lives and bliss of the Taiwan people at stake just for his personal election ambition.

Chen Shui-bian' s "defensive referendum" is void of any "defense" and his aim is an outright " offensive referendum" instead of "securing the status quo of Taiwan". It bears a strong flavor of antagonizing the Chinese mainland and challenging the present state of the cross-strait relationship. Although Chen Shui-bian, under internal and external pressure, has to shield himself with his shopworn "four not's and one without", (as made in his pledge reads: During my term of office, "I will not declare independence, I will not change the national title, I will not push forth the inclusion of the so-called "state-to-state" description in the Constitution, and I will not promote a referendum to change the status quo in regard to the question of independence or unification. Furthermore, the abolition of the National Reunification Council or the National Reunification Guidelines will not be an issue). His obvious intention and absurd pretext are eroding the effect of his deception.

From Chen Shui-bian's act of playing tricks on the topic of "referendum" and "constitutional legislation" over the past half year, it is not hard to see that he is constantly adjusting his tactics along with changes in internal and external objective situation, he keeps changing his tricks, now raising clamor for "Taiwan independence", want only attacks and abuses the Chinese mainland and takes any chance to impatiently charge forward down the road to "Taiwan independence"; now he talks glibly about "democracy" and "human rights", assumes a posture of rapprochement in order to seek temporary secure of his position. In a bid to meet the need of pushing his "Taiwan independence" line and his election, Chen Shui-bian constantly provokes the most sensitive spot in cross-Strait relations, vigorously pushes his "brinkmanship policy of crisis", keeping the Taiwan Strait situation always in a tight condition and in the danger of being run out of control at any time. Chen Shui-bian is not only a "trouble-maker", but also is a "crisis-creator". To pursue his own ends, he would risk any danger and put all the stakes on this end. People must keep high vigilance against it.

As a commentary in the US "Wall Street Journal" has said, to ingratiate the voters, Chen Shui-bian would try by hook or by crook to incite antagonism between the two sides of the Straits and play the dangerous "political game" at the cost of the lives of the Taiwan people, this is the worst "political example in election" and the act of an irresponsible politician. What Chen Shui-bian has done runs against the mainstream public will of seeking peace, stability and development and their hope to maintain stability in cross-Strait relations, so Chen's actions are very immoral and unpopular.

(The above article by Sun Shengliang was on Page 5 of People's Daily [Overseas Edition] on Dec. 8 and translated by PD Online)

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