DATE=3/6/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA / TAIWAN (L)
NUMBER=2-259865
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: China's Army newspaper has stepped up the
level of Beijing's saber rattling against Taiwan --
pledging in a front-page editorial it stands ready to
smash any move by the island toward formal
independence. V-O-A Correspondent Roger Wilkison
reports the latest blast comes as the government
Monday announced it is boosting military spending this
year by nearly 13 percent, to push ahead with a plan
to modernize its armed forces.
TEXT: The editorial in the "Liberation Army Daily"
warns Taiwan that millions of Chinese troops stand
ready to attack the island, if it declares
independence. Taiwan has enjoyed de facto
independence for more than 50 years. However, Beijing
claims the island as an inseparable part of China and
has vowed to prevent it from going its own way, by any
means.
The warning follows a similar threat by General Zhang
Wannian Sunday. General Zhang is the number-two
figure on China's Central Military Commission, which
is headed by President Jiang Zemin. General Zhang
told military delegates to China's national
legislature that -- in his words -- Taiwan
independence means war.
That phrase is also the title of the front-page
editorial in the army newspaper, which comes after two
weeks of stepped up Chinese rhetoric against Taiwan.
First came a policy paper warning the island that --
if it continues to drag its heels on entering
reunification talks with China -- it could risk being
attacked. Saturday, President Jiang threatened
unspecified drastic measures against Taiwan if it
resists Beijing's overtures. And, in his state of the
nation speech Sunday, Premier Zhu Rongji -- although
less belligerent in tone -- also warned China will
not sit idly by if Taiwan would formally go its own
way.
Most diplomats in Beijing believe the saber rattling
on China's part is designed to frighten Taiwanese
voters, who are scheduled to elect a new president
March 18th. Although Beijing has never indicated which
of the three main candidates it prefers to deal with,
the Liberation Army Daily editorial made it clear
China regards opposition leader Chen Shui-bian as
unsuitable.
Mr. Chen -- who represents the Democratic Progressive
Party -- has been a longtime supporter of Taiwan
independence, although he has backed away from that
position in recent weeks to reassure voters he would
not provoke Beijing. But the Liberation Army Daily
calls Mr. Chen deceitful, saying he proclaims
independence out of one side of his mouth and talks
about peace and cooperation with the mainland out of
the other.
Beijing's tough talk on Taiwan comes as it seeks to
expand its navy and air capabilities and build a
modern, high-tech military force. Finance Minister
Xiang Huaicheng has proposed boosting military
spending by twelve-point-seven percent for the second
year in a row -- bringing the total to a record 14 and
a half billion dollars. But western diplomats say
that figure does not include weapons procurement and
research and development costs, which are hidden in
other allocations. (signed)
NEB/ RW / WD
06-Mar-2000 07:01 AM EDT (06-Mar-2000 1201 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
