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DATE=7/13/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251691
TITLE=TAIWAN / CHINA (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=KENDALL BUHL
DATELINE=TAIPEI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  THE LONG-SIMMERING DISPUTE BETWEEN CHINA AND TAIWAN  IS 
HEATING UP AGAIN -- AFTER TAIWAN ANNOUNCED IT WILL ABANDON ITS 
SO-CALLED ONE CHINA POLICY AND TREAT ALL DEALINGS WITH BEIJING AS
STATE RELATIONS.  TAIWAN SAYS IT HOPES THE MOVE WILL SPUR MORE 
CONSTRUCTIVE TALKS WITH BEIJING ON THE FUTURE.  TAIPEI  
EMPHASIZES IT STILL PLANS TO EVENTUALLY REUNIFY WITH CHINA -- BUT
ONLY ONCE THE MAINLAND BECOMES DEMOCRATIC.  KENDALL BUHL REPORTS 
FROM TAIPEI.
TEXT:  THE SIMPLE TERM "ONE CHINA" HAS BEEN AT THE CORE OF THE 
UNEASY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TWO GOVERNMENTS THAT BOTH 
HISTORICALLY HAVE LAID CLAIMS TO CHINA.  THE VERY FOUNDATION OF 
THAT RELATIONSHIP CRACKED THIS LAST WEEK WHEN TAIWAN PRESIDENT 
LEE TENG-HUI SAID ANY DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES OF THE 
TAIWAN STRAITS CAN ONLY OCCUR ON A "NATION TO NATION" BASIS.  HE,
IN ESSENCE, ABANDONED THE ONE CHINA POLICY.
BEIJING IS FURIOUS.  IT REGARDS TAIWAN AS A RENEGADE PROVINCE AND
HAS REFUSED TO RULE OUT THE OPTION OF ONE DAY TAKING THE ISLAND 
BY FORCE.
OFFICIALS IN TAIPEI SAY THEY ARE SURPRISED BY BEIJING'S ANGRY 
REACTION.  PRESIDENT LEE'S PRONOUNCEMENT, THEY SAY, ONLY REFLECTS
THE DE FACTO REALITY THAT TAIWAN IS A SEPARATE NATION AND HAS 
BEEN SINCE THE COMMUNISTS TOOK OVER THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IN 
BEIJING 50 YEARS AGO.
HEAD OF THE CABINET-LEVEL MAINLAND AFFAIRS COUNCIL, SU QI, SAYS 
THE CHANGE IN TAIWAN'S POLICY IS NECESSARY.
                     //SU ACT//
         IN ORDER TO PROTECT OUR OWN INTERESTS  AND WITH A VIEW 
         TO PROMOTING CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS IN THE NEW CENTURY, 
         WE HOPE TO PUT CROSS STRAIT RELATIONS ON A MORE EQUAL 
         AND REALISTIC FOOTING.
               //END ACT//
THE MOVE IS  NOT  EXPECTED TO ADD MORE NAMES TO TAIWAN'S SHORT 
LIST OF DIPLOMATIC ALLIES. THERE ARE LESS THAN 30.  BEIJING 
REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE COUNTRIES THAT RECOGNIZE  TAIWAN.  //OPT 
//ANALYSTS SAY THE ONLY IMMEDIATE EFFECT WILL MOST LIKELY BE TO 
RELATIONS BETWEEN OFFICIALS IN TAIPEI  AND BEIJING.  // END OPT 
//
THE POLICY SWITCH COMES JUST MONTHS BEFORE A LANDMARK VISIT TO 
TAIPEI BY CHINA'S TOP CROSS-STRAIT NEGOTIATOR.  THAT TRIP WAS TO 
BE A MAJOR STEP FORWARD IN BUILDING BETTER RELATIONS BETWEEN THE 
TWO RIVALS.  (SIGNED)
NEB/KB/GC/JO/PLM
13-Jul-99 2:42 AM EDT (0642 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.