Taipei's stubborn pro-independence stance represented by its
leader's latest refusal of the one-China principle may trigger new
tensions and conflicts across the Taiwan Straits, a senior Taiwan
affairs official warned Wednesday.
"The move is not only unable to help break the existing stalemate
in cross-Straits ties but may also lead to new tensions and
conflicts between the two sides,'' said Zhang Mingqing, spokesman
with the Taiwan Affairs Office of the
State Council.
Zhang accused Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian of "flying in the face
of the basic facts'' to again refuse the one-China principle and
deny the existence of the so-called 1992 consensus.
Chen told supporters of his pro-independence Democratic Progressive
Party (DPP) on October 21 that acceptance of the one-China
principle would be tantamount to "selling out the country''.
Beijing has set the one-China principle as the precondition for
resumption of any cross-Straits talks.
The principle holds that there is only one China in the world, both
the Chinese mainland and Taiwan are part of China and Chinese
sovereignty and territorial integrity brook no separation.
Speaking at rallies for DPP candidates in the year-end legislative
election, Chen also said he would continue to shun Beijing's demand
that he return to the 1992 consensus.
Under the informal agreement, reached orally between the mainland's
Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits and Taiwan's
Straits Exchange Foundation in November 1992, the two sides of the
Straits both adhere to the one-China principle.
Zhang reiterated "there will not be any chance of resuming
cross-Straits negotiations to improve their already strained
relations unless Taipei explicitly accepts the one-China principle
and the 1992 consensus.''
"And only by embracing the principle and agreement can the
interests of Taiwan compatriots be safeguarded and Taiwan's demand
for stability and prosperity be met,'' he said.
The spokesman also condemned the ruling DPP's move to water down
its pro-independence stance, saying it is just "a change in form
but not in content''.
The DPP at a party congress held on October 20 passed a motion to
recognize the status of the 1999 resolution on Taiwan's future.
The 1999 resolution stipulates that any altering of the island's
status quo must be decided through a referendum by all the
residents on the islands.
The party platform approved in 1991 aims to establish an
independent Taiwan republic and enforce a new constitution.
The decision marked a milestone change in the direction of the
party, which had attempted to "negate the status quo and push for
independence,'' analysts said.
"But with the changing political environment and fresh
interpretations of a sovereign state, the DPP now thinks the status
quo is independence,'' said DPP Chairman Frank Chang-ting
Hsieh.
Zhang, however, stressed the DPP move has apparently showed the
party "has not changed its nature as a pro-independence party at
all.''
"We have been long and steadfastly opposing all separatist moves to
separate Taiwan from China as they are crimes of separating the
motherland,'' he said.
This is the first time that Beijing publicly called Taiwan
separatism a crime.
There were proposals from the delegates of last year's
National People's Congress for a law on anti-national
separatism.
Zhang went on to warn that Beijing will take every measure,
including the use of force, to safeguard the country's sovereignty
and territorial integrity.
The spokesman referred to a government white paper issued last
year, the One-China Principle and the Taiwan Issue, to demonstrate
Beijing's determination to curb any scheme to divide China.
The document said: "If a grave turn of events occurs leading to the
separation of Taiwan from China in any name, or if Taiwan is
invaded and occupied by foreign countries, or if the Taiwan
authorities refuse, sine die, the peaceful settlement of
cross-Straits reunification through negotiations, then the Chinese
government will only be forced to adopt all drastic measures
possible, including the use of force, to safeguard China's
sovereignty and territorial integrity and fulfill the great cause
of reunification.''
As
for the way to tackle cross-Straits relations following the
mainland and Taiwan's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in early November, Zhang said
WTO rules cannot cover all matters concerning the two sides.
Some issues such as cross-Straits trade and economic exchanges and
the establishment of three links -- direct trade, transport and
postal links between Taiwan and the mainland -- should only be
dealt with under the one-China principle as internal affairs within
one country, Zhang added.
"We do not need WTO rules or any other international occasion to
handle internal matters of our Chinese people,'' he said.
(China
Daily November 1, 2001)