Sophism Won't Save Lee Teng-hui: Xinhua Commentator

BEIJING, July 25 (Xinhua) -- A commentator's article released by Xinhua News Agency today points out that Lee Teng-hui, a man widely condemned for his separatist remarks, is indeed a " troublemaker" who has sabotaged relations across the Taiwan Straits and jeopardized the stability of the Straits and the island of Taiwan.

Lee Teng-hui has become extremely isolated. He and his followers have tried to ease the pressure from anti-separatists and people against the "independence of Taiwan" by whitewashing his separatist remarks and activities with sophism, saying that his "two States" remarks only demonstrate the "facts", and that the Taiwan authorities have not changed their policy toward the mainland, and intend to further promote talks and negotiations across the Taiwan Straits. But their self-contradictory words just do not hold water, the article says.

"They are just seeking some decent cover for the separatist farce staged by Lee Teng-hui," the article notes.
Referring to the "One China" principle as the foundation for healthy development of cross-Straits relations, the peaceful reunification of China, and exchanges between the Association of Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and its Taiwan counterpart, the Straits Exchanges Foundation, the article says Lee's "two States" remarks went against this principle and were aimed at separating Taiwan from China.

If the "One China" principle were to be abandoned, there would no longer exist a foundation for contacts, exchanges, talks, and negotiations between the two sides, and there would no longer exist the foundation for a peaceful reunification of the motherland, nor would there exist a foundation for ARATS president Wang Daohan's visit to Taiwan, the article stresses.

"How can the empty lies that the Taiwan authorities have not changed its mainland policy cover the separatist attempt and its damage to cross-Straits relations?" adds the article.

"They will defeat themselves in the end by sophism, if they continue to deceive the international community and Taiwan people with false remarks," the article continues.

Calling Lee Teng-hui an inconstant and capricious Machiavellian, the article reminds people of numerous contradictions between Lee' s past pledge to adhere to the "One China" policy and his recent " two States" remarks, his publicly enunciated pledge to fight against the independence of Taiwan and his separatist activities, his pledge to base the economic development of Taiwan on the mainland and his policies to deter economic cooperation across the Taiwan Straits, his pledge to attach importance to improving relations across the Taiwan Straits and his using the "two States" remarks to damage cross-Straits relations.

The article says a complete analysis of Lee Teng-hui's past remarks and activities have shown that Lee is a sophist who uses specious words to cover his true nature as a deep-rooted separatist.

"In spite of all the explanations by his followers, Lee has exposed his true separatist nature and defeated himself with his ' two States' remarks," the article says.

"Sophism just will not save Lee Teng-hui, nor can the Chinese people at home and abroad and the international community be deceived. The only way out is for Lee Teng-hui to immediately stop separatist activities, abandon the 'two States' statement, and resume the policy of adhering to the 'One China' principle," the article concludes.