DATE=10/6/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=TAIWAN - CHINA (L-O)
NUMBER=2-254724
BYLINE=STEPHANIE HO
DATELINE=TAIPEI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Taiwan's top official on relations with China says
his government had valid reasons for refusing Beijing's
offer of aid, after a major earthquake struck the island
more than two-weeks ago. Correspondent Stephanie Ho
reports Taipei has accused Beijing of politicizing the
issue, and is insisting earthquake relief efforts take
priority over stalled cross-strait negotiations.
TEXT: After a strong earthquake rocked Taiwan last month,
more than 20-countries sent relief teams to help Taiwanese
rescuers. One high-profile omission was China -- whose
offer to send aid workers and supplies was turned down by
Taipei.
The chairman of the Taiwan government's Mainland Affairs
Council, Su Chi, described the Chinese gesture as too
little, too late. He said the Chinese proposal came on the
third-day after the quake -- when the most critical time
was over. And, although Taiwan accepted China's offer of
100-thousand dollars, Mr. Su said his government feels it
is only a small, token amount.
He added that Taipei's decision to reject China's offer was
not based on any concerns that Chinese aid workers would be
agents for the mainland.
// SU ACT //
No, these political concerns were not on our mind.
// END ACT //
Beijing considers Taiwan a renegade province. Shortly
after the quake, a Chinese spokeswoman thanked the world
for helping Taiwan -- which she described as a province of
China.
Mr. Su said many Taiwanese people dislike this kind of
reaction from Beijing. He criticized the Chinese
government, saying politics and humanitarian relief should
not be mixed. As an example, he said Taiwanese citizens
have donated more than 50-million dollars in the past 10-
years, with no strings attached, to help China recover from
natural disasters.
Meanwhile, the Taiwanese official defended President Lee
Teng-hui's comments in July that the island wanted China to
treat it as an equal state. This position angered Beijing
and heightened cross-strait tensions.
Mr. Su said his government sees Taiwan as an important
issue in China's relationship with the United States --
which recently has been troubled by many issues, including
trade, human rights, campaign contributions, and espionage.
He refers to the P-R-C - the People's Republic of China.
// SU ACT //
P-R-C stands accused by many in the United States of
wrongdoing. And the only card the P-R-C has is the
Taiwan card. So, it is in Beijing's interest to
maintain a certain tension in cross-strait relations,
in order to bargain with the United States.
// END ACT //
The official says the government in Taipei feels, given
these circumstances, Beijing has no incentive to show it is
satisfied and will therefore interpret anything Taiwan does
as provocative. (SIGNED)
NEB/HO/RAE
06-Oct-1999 12:23 PM EDT (06-Oct-1999 1623 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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