DATE=7/26/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA-TAIWAN (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-252143
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: China's official news agency says there is no
longer any basis for China and Taiwan to hold a
scheduled round of talks in October because of the
island's demand that Beijing treat it as a co-equal
state. V-O-A correspondent Roger Wilkison reports the
Xinhua news agency commentary did not say explicitly
that China would cancel a trip to Taiwan by Beijing's
senior negotiator. But it is the strongest indication
yet that the trip could be the latest casualty of
Taiwan's shift in policy toward China.
TEXT: The visit to Taiwan by Wang Daohan - who heads
the semi-official association that deals with the
island in the absence of official ties - was scheduled
as a follow-on to a landmark trip by his Taiwanese
counterpart to China last year. That trip, by Koo
Chen-fu, led to hopes that the two sides would restore
a structured dialogue, which was broken off in 1995
after Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui infuriated
Beijing by traveling to the United States; China saw
that as an attempt by Taiwan to seek a higher
international profile.
Earlier this month, Mr. Lee again angered Beijing by
saying that, henceforth, talks between the two sides
should be conducted on a state-to-state basis.
Despite 50 years of `de facto' separation, China
regards Taiwan as a renegade province that must be
brought under its sway -- if need be by force.
Xinhua says Mr. Lee's statement destroys the basis for
exchanges because it cancels a previous understanding
that Taiwan and China are to be regarded as one
country. In the words of the official news agency, if
Taiwan denies the one-China principle, then the
foundation does not exist for cross-strait contacts -
either dialogue or negotiations.
Diplomats in Beijing say China is waiting for
Taiwanese senior negotiator Koo to clarify that
continued dialogue will not be conducted on a state-
to-state basis. But Mr. Koo told a U-S envoy to
Taipei that Taiwan wants to talk to China on what he
called an equal basis.
Meanwhile, China's foreign minister told a regional
security forum in Singapore that Beijing will act if
there is any attempt to create a separate Taiwan.
Tang Jiaxuan also warned what he called "foreign
forces" not to get involved in China's dispute with
the island. Although the United States only
recognizes Beijing, it sells Taiwan defensive weapons
and has a commitment to defend it against aggression.
A leading Chinese foreign policy expert, Yan Xuetong,
writes in Monday's official China Daily, that Mr.
Lee's redefinition of China-Taiwan ties will force
Beijing to take military action to stop separatism on
the island. (signed)
Neb/rw/jo/rrm
26-Jul-1999 06:32 AM LOC (26-Jul-1999 1032 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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