The Chinese mainland said Saturday that it strongly opposes the
attempt by Taiwan to hold a referendum on March 20, describing it
as a unilateral provocation and a bid to prepare for "Taiwan
independence."
A spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office under the State
Council, the Chinese cabinet, said the mainland strongly opposes
the attempt to split China.
The spokesman, who declined to be identified, said Chen
Shui-bian, leader of Taiwan authorities, made public the topics of
the referendum on Friday despite the interests of the people in
Taiwan and universal opposition by the international community.
Using peace and democracy as camouflage, Chen stubbornly pushes
for the referendum to heighten tension between the people on both
sides of the Taiwan Straits and sabotage cross-strait relations,
said the spokesman.
Chen plans to ask voters in Taiwan two questions in the March 20
"general election" -- whether Taiwan should acquire more advanced
anti-missile weapons if the mainland refuses to withdraw missiles
targeting the island, and whether Taiwan should negotiate with the
mainland to establish a peaceful and stable framework for
interaction.
Chen's referendum plan has been criticized by the main
opposition parties in the island as going too far, and some voters
told local television the referendum would be a waste of taxpayers'
money as the answers are self-evident.
Chen outlined his plans for the referendum after he drew a blunt
warning from the United States that Washington was against any move
to change the political status quo with the Chinese mainland,
referring to Taiwan's efforts to seek independence.
Critics said Chen has been trying to provoke the mainland to
gain the support of pro-independence voters in Taiwan who have been
disappointed with his leadership.
(Xinhua News Agency January 18, 2004)