The statement issued on Monday by the Taiwan Work Office of the
Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the
Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council on current relations
across the Taiwan Straits is not an ultimatum, said Director Yu
Keli of the Institute of Taiwan Studies of the Chinese Academy of
Social Sciences in Beijing Tuesday.
"But this does not mean the Chinese government and people hold a
vague stance on safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial
integrity," he said.
Chen Shui-bian, to be inaugurated on May 20, has moved to the
brink of "Taiwan independence," so it is necessary to send solemn
warning signals to him, said Yu.
"Cross-Straits relations are in a crucial period," said Xu
Bodong, of Beijing Union University. Xu stated that Chen's
referendum plan for a new "constitution" and implementation of a
"Taiwan independence" timetable increase strain on cross-Straits
relations.
The May 17 statement sent warnings to Chen and other "Taiwan
independence" separatists, and aimed to let the United States and
the international society see clearly the fact that Chen is a
troublemaker and threatens cross-Straits peace, he said.
Only along the seven lines proposed in the statement can the
cross-Straits relations hold out a bright prospect of peace,
stability and development, he said. The statement itself
demonstrates the mainland's consistent stance and policies toward
Taiwan as well as its sincerity in pushing forward cross-Straits
relations.
It is necessary to make the cross-Straits situation clear to all
Chinese and international society, said Guo Zhenyuan, of the
Institute of International Studies. Guo warned that if the Taiwan
authorities dare to play with fire, they will get burnt
themselves.
(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2004)