• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Zhu's softer line dismissed by analysts

Published: March 6, 2000 Source: News reports Mainland Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji said yesterday that Beijing would not "sit idly by" and allow Taiwan to move toward independence, but rather than repeating mainland President Jiang Zemin's recent threat of drastic measures against the island, Zhu stressed the need for continued dialogue and exchanges with the island. "We place our hopes on the Taiwan authorities and even more on the people of Taiwan," Zhu said. "We are willing to continue working with the vast numbers of Taiwan compatriots in developing cross-strait relations and achieving peaceful reunification of the motherland."

Zhu made the comments while addressing the opening session of the National People's Congress, mainland China's legislature. Taiwan is shaping up as a major theme of the congress, whose 11-day session will end just before Taiwan holds its presidential election on March 18. In his speech, Zhu singled out ROC President Lee Teng-hui's "two-state theory" for particular criticism. Lee infuriated Beijing last year by saying that Taipei would only negotiate with the mainland as a sovereign equal on a "special state-to-state" basis.

According to ROC analysts, Zhu's latest comments do not signify any shift in mainland China's stance on Taiwan, despite their apparently conciliatory nature.

The Taipei Times quoted Liu Bi-jung, a political analyst at Soochow University, as saying: "Zhu's statements do not seem to signify any change. They sound different from the Taiwan policy paper announced on February 21, but they are more likely part of the double dealing tactics which (mainland) China uses against its enemies - to alternately use the carrot and stick. "We have to note the Communists will choose to say different words under different circumstances," Liu said. "They have to find a stepping stone to save face, or run the risk of incurring further pressure from the U.S. by unilaterally announcing a reunification timetable."

Mo Ta-hua, a political analyst at the armed forces' Political Warfare College, told the Taipei Times that Zhu's comments were aimed at Washington, where the future of mainland China's trade status is currently being debated. "(Zhu's remarks mean) the Beijing leadership takes seriously the strong reaction from the U.S. ¡K (the remarks) were supposed to be heard by the U.S. The Taiwan policy paper, on the contrary, was meant to be heard by Taiwan's people," Mo said. According to Mo, Beijing did not expect the policy document to prompt such a strong response from Washington.