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Washington, Feb. 28 (CNA) Several newspapers in the United States published editorials Monday denouncing Communist China's latest threat to use force against Taiwan if the latter does not start negotiating reunification with the mainland.

The Houston Chronicle wrote in an editorial that only in the complex, triangular world of US-Sino relations could the PRC threaten to attack Taiwan for delaying indefinitely reunification negotiations at the same critical moment Beijing is seeking a favorable vote in the US Congress on normalized trade relations.

"The PRC may see the issuance of its threat as a necessary move to influence the outcome of the ROC's presidential election, but it cannot bode well for the debate in the US Congress on trade relations. And, more immediately, such intimidation tactics are likely to energize more voters on Taiwan to go to the polls and to consider voting against the goals that mainland China seeks in the long term," said the Texas newspaper.

The editorial concluded that "altogether it is a serious misreading on the part of Beijing of the democratic process both in the United States and on Taiwan."

The Augusta Chronicle in Maine said even more bluntly in an editorial that "the Communist Chinese regime is not only brutal, it's none too smart, either. Maybe that explains why it is brutal."

With the March 18th date for Taiwan's second direct presidential election fast approaching, "Beijing is unleashing a new round of threats to force the island nation into immediate talks on reunification. But once again the tactic appears to be backfiring. The threats have served only to strengthen the candidacy of strong anti-Communist Chen Shui-bian," opined the newspaper.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette criticized Beijing by saying that its rhetoric is dangerous and its timing is even worse. "The odd thing is that the three leading presidential candidates in Taiwan have soft-pedaled the independence issue, and all are in favor of continuing negotiations with the mainland. So this blunt warning is not only uncalled for, it also is harmful to China's immediate interests." (By Nelson Chung)