DATE=3/16/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=TAIWAN-CHINA (L)
NUMBER=2-260237
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=TAIPEI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Taiwan's defense minister has ordered his
troops to step up their vigilance following a second
day of threats from China in the run-up to the
island's presidential election. VOA correspondent
Roger Wilkison reports from Taipei, the Taiwan stock
market fell again on Thursday but bounced back up
after government funds engaged in heavy buying.
TEXT: Defense Minister Tang Fei has ordered the armed
forces to remain calm but be more alert to any sign of
Chinese military maneuvers across the Taiwan Strait.
Appearing on television, the minister said Taiwan does
not want war with China but is prepared to defend its
democratic system of government.
The minister's call for vigilance followed Wednesday's
warning by Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji that Taiwanese
voters risk participating in their last election if
they do not choose wisely when they troop to the polls
on Saturday to elect a new president. Mr. Zhu urged
the Taiwanese not to vote for a pro-independence
candidate, a clear message that opposition contender
Chen Shui-bian -- who has a pro-independence past --
is unacceptable to Beijing.
On Thursday, academics linked to the Beijing
government reiterated Mr. Zhu's warning, with one of
them -- Li Jiaquan -- saying China could launch an
invasion of Taiwan swiftly if the island chooses Mr.
Chen.
The threats from China have cast a note of uncertainty
over the island as it heads toward its second
democratic election. Although there has been a ban on
the release of public opinion polls over the past
eight days, the last ones showed Mr. Chen and his two
rivals -- Vice President Lien Chan of the ruling
Nationalist Party and independent James Soong -- in a
dead heat. The Taiwanese news media say that, since
then, Mr. Chen has pulled ahead of the others,
prompting Beijing's warning.
Mr. Chen dismissed Beijing's threats as terror tactics
and called on his supporters to stand firm. The other
two candidates also rejected Beijing's tough talk, but
are warning voters that a Chen victory could bring war
to Taiwan.
The uncertainty is reflected in the up-and-down
movement of the Taiwan stock market. Thursday it
slipped four and a half percentage points, then
bounced back thanks to big stock purchases by
government funds. But analysts say the threats from
China are responsible only in part for investors'
nervousness. They say that investors are also
concerned that the Nationalists -- who have been in
power in Taiwan for 51 years -- could lose the
presidency. If either Mr. Chen or Mr. Soong win, they
would have to forge a coalition to get their programs
through the Nationalist-dominated legislature, and
that will not be an easy task. (SIGNED)
NEB/RW/FC/PLM
16-Mar-2000 03:25 AM EDT (16-Mar-2000 0825 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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