DATE=2/21/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA-TAIWAN (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258388
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: China has warned Taiwan that, if it continues
its refusal to negotiate the island's reunification
with the mainland, Beijing will be compelled to take
drastic measures, including the use of force. VOA
correspondent Roger Wilkison reports the new warning
comes in a so-called white paper released Monday, less
than a month before Taiwan's presidential elections.
TEXT: The 11-thousand word document was issued by the
Cabinet and the Chinese government's Taiwan Affairs
Office. Essentially, the message to the Taiwanese is:
negotiate reunification or face the possibility of
war.
China has always said it will attack Taiwan if the
island declares formal independence. But now it is
telling the Taiwanese that if they continue to resist
Beijing's overtures for reunification, resort to force
is not out of the question.
The white paper says force would be the last option.
But in a sign that China's leadership is worried about
growing separatist sentiment on the island, the
document warns that -- if Taiwan continues to deny
that it is part of China -- the premise for peaceful
reunification will cease to exist.
Entitled "The One China Principle and the Taiwan
Issue", the white paper singles out Taiwanese
President Lee Teng-hui, as the main promoter of
separatism. It also blames so-called foreign forces -
- meaning the United States -- for obstructing
reunification.
It says proposals by some Taiwanese politicians that a
referendum be held to decide the island's future is a
non-starter. It argues that, since Taiwan is part of
China and not a foreign colony, self-determination is
not an issue. Besides -- it implies -- if such an
exercise were to be held, the people of all of China
should take part and not just those in what it calls a
certain area of the country. And it says there is no
parallel between the China-Taiwan equation and the
existence of two German states after World War Two,
because the division across the straits arose as the
consequence of a civil war and not an international
conflict.
The document warns Washington to limit its support for
Taiwan and not to stand in the way of reunification.
At the time of Taiwan's last presidential election
four years ago, Beijing fired missiles into waters off
the island. Washington responded by sending warships
into the area.
The policy paper says that, as long as Taiwan abides
by the one-China principle, the two sides can discuss
anything. It calls Taiwan's insistence that China
should become a democracy before the island can
consider reunification, an excuse for delaying
reunification. The document says Beijing is willing
to offer Taiwan autonomy far beyond the scope of what
it has given Hong Kong and Macau. (signed)
NEB/RW/GC/FC
21-Feb-2000 06:43 AM EDT (21-Feb-2000 1143 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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