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DATE=7/13/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251697
TITLE=CHINA / TAIWAN (L)
BYLINE=STEPHANIE HO
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  CHINA IS WARNING TAIWAN THAT IT SHOULD  NOT  
UNDERESTIMATE BEIJING'S RESOLVE TO SAFEGUARD ITS SOVEREIGNTY -- 
WHICH MEANS BEIJING CONTINUES TO OPPOSE INDEPENDENCE FOR THE 
ISLAND THAT IT CONSIDERS A RENEGADE CHINESE PROVINCE.   V-O-A'S 
STEPHANIE HO REPORTS THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IS RESPONDING TO 
TAIWAN'S ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE LAST WEEK THAT IT WANTS BEIJING TO 
TREAT IT AS AN EQUAL.
TEXT:  AT A REGULAR NEWS BRIEFING TUESDAY, CHINESE FOREIGN 
MINISTRY SPOKESWOMAN ZHANG QIYUE -- SPEAKING THROUGH AN 
INTERPRETER -- REJECTED THE TAIWANESE PRESIDENT'S CALL FOR 
BEIJING TO CONSIDER TAIWAN AS AN EQUAL STATE.
                   // ZHANG INTERPRETER ACT //
         LEE TENG-HUI BRAZENLY DEFINED THE CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS
         AS RELATIONS BETWEEN STATES.
                          // END ACT //
THE CHINESE SPOKESWOMAN CALLED THIS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS STEP 
IN THE DIRECTION TOWARD TAIWANESE INDEPENDENCE.  SHE ADDED THAT 
THIS HAS CAST A NEW SHADOW OVER CROSS-STRAIT TALKS BETWEEN TAIWAN
AND THE MAINLAND. 
                   // ZHANG INTERPRETER ACT //
         THE STATEMENT MADE BY THE TAIWANESE SIDE ACTUALLY WIPED 
         OUT THE FOUNDATION FOR THIS KIND OF EXCHANGES.
                          // END ACT //
MS. ZHANG SAID THE SEMI-OFFICIAL ASSOCIATION FOR RELATIONS ACROSS
THE TAIWAN STRAIT, OR A-R-A-T-S,  HAS DEMANDED CLARIFICATION FROM
ITS TAIWANESE COUNTERPART.  
MEANTIME, SHE DID  NOT  SAY WHETHER CHINA WILL CANCEL A SCHEDULED
VISIT BY THE PRESIDENT OF A-R-A-T-S, WANG DAOHAN, TO TAIWAN  
SCHEDULED A FEW MONTHS FOR NOW.
SHE ALSO SAID SHE HAD  NO  INFORMATION ABOUT WHETHER CHINA IS 
PLANNING TO HOLD MILITARY EXERCISES IN THE WATERS OFF TAIWAN.  
THE CHINESE SPOKESWOMAN SAID BEIJING WANTS TAIWAN TO REUNIFY WITH
THE MAINLAND PEACEFULLY, BUT WILL DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO MAKE 
THAT HAPPEN.
                   // ZHAN INTERPRETER ACT //
         BUT WE DO NOT UNDERTAKE TO GIVE UP THE USE OF FORCE, 
         WHICH IS BY NO  MEANS DIRECTED AGAINST THE COMPATRIOTS 
         IN TAIWAN.  IT IS RATHER AGAINST THE ATTEMPTS BY FOREIGN
         FORCES TO INTERFERE IN CHINA'S UNIFICATION CAUSE.
                          // END ACT //
SHE DID  NOT  SPECIFY WHICH COUNTRY BEIJING FEELS IS INTERFERING.
BUT IN 1996, CHINESE MILITARY DRILLS NEAR TAIWAN CAUSED 
INTERNATIONAL ALARM AND PROMPTED THE U-S GOVERNMENT TO SEND TWO 
AIRCRAFT CARRIERS TO THE REGION.
DURING HER BRIEFING, THOUGH, MS. ZHANG SAID CHINA HAS NOTED THE 
U-S GOVERNMENT'S CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THE ONE-CHINA POLICY -- 
DESPITE TAIWAN'S DECISION TO ABANDON IT.   (SIGNED)
NEB/HO/JO/KL
13-Jul-99 6:59 AM EDT (1059 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.