A spokesman for China's central authorities said in Beijing
Wednesday that Taiwan regional leader Chen Shui-bian's "easing
tension" remarks in his Oct. 10 speech are false words.
"Facts have clearly shown that Chen puts on a show of trying to
ease tension, but what he is really doing is promoting Taiwan
independence," said Zhang Mingqing, spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs
Office of the State Council (China's cabinet), at a press
conference Wednesday morning.
Zhang said that since May the Taiwan authorities led by Chen
have been gradually escalating separatist activities both in Taiwan
and internationally. These include so-called constitutional reform
and continued lobbying for inclusion in the United Nations and arms
purchases.
"Chen claims he has intentions of easing tension and
confrontation across the Strait, but in his speech he obstinately
sticks to his stand of 'one country on each side' across the
Straits," said the spokesman. "Moreover, he continues to deny the
fact that Taiwan is a part of China and wants only to stigmatize
and viciously attack the motherland to fuel tensions across the
Straits."
Zhang highlighted Chen's statement that "The Republic of China
is Taiwan and Taiwan is the Republic of China."
"This was an open and audacious expression of Taiwan
independence," he said. "It constitutes another grave provocation
against peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits."
Zhang said the mainland has repeatedly called for early
resumption of cross-Straits dialogue on the basis of the
"one-China" principle. In 1992, the Association for Relations
across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) of the mainland and the Straits
Exchange Foundation (SEF) of Taiwan reached the consensus verbally
that "both sides across the Taiwan Straits adhere to the "one-China
principle".
He said compatriots on both sides of the Straits are brothers
and that peace and stability across the Straits conform to the
interests and aspirations of compatriots on both sides. He warned
that separatist activities will undermine peace and stability and
that Chen's pursuit of independence will bring disaster to the
people of Taiwan.
He called on the people of Taiwan to join the resolute fight
against independence and to safeguard cross-Straits peace.
(Xinhua News Agency October 13, 2004)