CEP0027 [07/14/99 21:11:20] PD5K6102.
CEP-->FLOR
07-14-99
LOCAL EXPERTS COMMENT ON PRESIDENT'S `STATE-TO-STATE' POLICY
Taipei, July 14 (CNA) Local experts in international and mainland
China affairs attending a Wednesday seminar sponsored by the Vanguard
Foundation were mixed when commenting on President Lee Teng-hui's
recent "state-to-state" stance in regard to Taiwan's ties with
mainland China.
Chao Chun-shan, professor of the Russian Study Center at National
Chengchi University, said Beijing has overreacted to Lee's comment,
as the remarks contain nothing new but only clarify the existing
facts.
The government's past "ambiguous" attitude toward cross-strait
relations has not gained a friendly response from Beijing, and that
should be the reason for Lee's clarification of the ties between the
two sides of the Taiwan Strait, according to Chao.
Lee stated in an interview with Germany's Deutsche Welle radio
station last week that cross-strait relations are "state-to-state or
at least special state-to-state" ties, a departure from the
long-sustained definition of the relationship as ties between two
"equal political entities."
Chao called on the international community to pay greater
attention to the word "special," which he said contains many
possibilities in the development of bilateral ties.
Lee's major motive and timing in airing his new interpretation of
cross-strait relations in the foreign media should be aimed at
declaring the ROC's stance to the international community prior to a
planned autumn visit to Taiwan by mainland China's top negotiator
with the ROC, Wang Daohan, he emphasized.
Chang Lin-cheng, a professor at National Taiwan University, said
Lee chose the timing for the release of his statement very carefully,
and added that Beijing can do nothing now but attack verbally.
Lin Yu-fang, a military strategist and international affairs
expert at Tamkang University, also opined that the timing and content
of the statement were carefully designed.
The reason behind his choice of a foreign radio station to make
public his statement is aimed at increasing Taiwan's bargaining power
at the negotiation table during Wang's visit, or is because of
Taiwan's upcoming presidential election slated for March 2000, he
said.
Lin predicted that Beijing is unlikely to take military action as
a result of Lee's words.
Hsiao Mei-chin, head of the International Affairs Department of
the opposition pro-Taiwan independence Democratic Progressive Party,
said she did not think Beijing will make any concrete moves.
She pointed out that Washington has reacted calmly to Lee's
statement, doing no more than reiterate its adherence to Beijing's
"one China" policy, as has Japan. This, she said, proves that Lee
chose a most propitious time to air his views.
(By Flor Wang and Maubo Chang)
ENDITEM/J
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