The Chinese mainland will not involve itself in the election of the Taiwan region, and is not concerned about the election result, said Zhang Mingqing, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, Wednesday.

Zhang said at a regular press conference that "What we care about is the stance of future Taiwanese leaders on cross-Straits relations and the reunification of the country."

Zhang said he will not interfere with or comment on the stand of Taiwanese business people on the mainland in the upcoming election.

If Taiwanese entrepreneurs on the mainland wish to set up supportive organizations for certain candidate, they have to abide by mainland regulations on non-governmental organizations, he said.

Applications for such organizations have been proposed, added Zhang.

He stressed, however, the mainland will not permit or offer convenience for any "Taiwan independence" separatist activities on the mainland.

Zhang said that the assertion by Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian that he would establish a so-called framework for cross-Straits peace and stability was deceitful.

"On the one hand, Chen Shui-bian is bent on having his own way and pursuing a referendum that would provoke confrontation between peoples on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, sabotage cross-Straits relations and endanger peace in the Taiwan Straits," he said.
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"On the other hand, he has professed he would set up a so-called framework for cross-Straits peace and stability. We think Chen Shui-bian's words are deceitful," Zhang said.

Zhang said that in the more than three years since he took office, Chen Shui-bian had refused to accept the "one-China" principle.

Zhang called on compatriots in Taiwan and the international community to see through the deceit of Chen Shui-bian and the danger of activities promoting "Taiwan independence".

In response to Chen's recent promise to allow Taiwan businessmen in all parts of the mainland to return to the island through the Jinmen-Xiamen air route, Zhang said the statement was made out of a "well known motive".

Chen asserted that the residents of the island and Penhu Lieh Tao who hold "passports" are allowed to go to mainland, which in fact is a practice of "one country on each side", another version of "Taiwan independence", Zhang said.

The mainland has long been making efforts to promote "three direct links" across the Taiwan Straits and Chen's intentional delay is against Taiwan businessmen's long-time request for free travel across the Straits, said Zhang.

"The realization of the 'three direct links' is to break new ground for cross-Straits economic cooperation and bring greater benefits to the compatriots on both sides, and any policy blocking such exchanges and cooperation will finally harm Taiwan people, as well as its economic competitiveness," said Zhang.

(Xinhua News Agency February 11, 2004)