DATE=3/17/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=TAIWAN ELECTION-CHINA
NUMBER=5-45664
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=TAIPEI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: As Taiwanese head for the polls Saturday to
select a new president, the huge shadow cast by China
and its belligerent rhetoric toward the island hovers
over the election. VOA correspondent Roger Wilkison
reports Beijing's warning to Taiwanese not to elect a
candidate China considers unsuitable has become a
central issue in the too-close-to-call three-man race.
TEXT: All three of the main contenders say they
basically want to maintain the status quo. Taiwan
today enjoys de facto independence, while keeping
Beijing at bay by giving lip service to eventual
reunification with China. But Beijing has now said
indefinite postponement of reunification is no longer
acceptable and that it will not tolerate the election
of Chen Shui-bian, whom it views as an advocate of
formal independence.
Beijing stepped up its threats to the island after
Taiwanese media reports indicated that Mr. Chen, of
the Democratic Progressive Party -- or DPP -- has
pulled ahead of his rivals in recent days after
receiving endorsements from several key figures on the
island. Andrew Yang, Secretary General of the Chinese
Council of Advanced Policy Studies in Taipei, says Mr.
Chen's growing popularity prompted Beijing's warning.
/////YANG ACTUALITY/////
Beforehand, nobody predicted that the D-P-P was going
to win the election, but there's a great chance for
them to take over the government now. So I think it's
also a great -- not shock -- but surprise for Beijing,
because they're not ready for that.
/////END ACTUALITY/////
Mr. Chen's foreign policy advisor, Parris Chang, says
his candidate has backed away from his pro-
independence position.
/////CHANG ACTUALITY/////
We have already announced to the whole world that we
are not going to declare independence, as such,
because we consider Taiwan is already an independent
country.
/////END ACTUALITY/////
It is just that kind of remark that makes Beijing
furious. As far as China is concerned, Taiwan is a
wayward province that must be reunited with the
mainland. China says that -- despite Mr. Chen's
backtracking on his pro-independence stand -- his
party's platform still proposes that the island should
go its own way. Analyst Andrew Yang says that, if Mr.
Chen is elected Saturday, he expects the United States
to urge the D-P-P to drop the offending pro-
independence clause in its platform.
/////YANG ACTUALITY/////
You have to force Taipei to give up this independence
clause to make Beijing more comfortable in terms of
mending cross-strait relations.
/////END ACTUALITY/////
But Mr. Yang admits that will be hard to do because
Taiwan independence is dear to the heart of D-P-P
supporters, who are overwhelmingly native Taiwanese
and want nothing to do with reunification. Mr. Chen's
rivals -- Vice-President Lien Chan of the ruling
Nationalist Party and former Nationalist stalwart
James Soong, now running as an independent -- have
been vociferous in their criticism of Mr. Chen,
calling him dangerous and irresponsible. One of Mr.
Soong's top aides, Congressman Chou Shi-wei supports
maintenance of the status quo.
/////CHOU ACTUALITY/////
We're very clear that we don't want any rush decision
about cross-strait relations. We don't want
independence right away. Also we don't want
unification right away.
/////END ACTUALITY/////
Mr. Soong has proposed that China and Taiwan sign a
30-year peace agreement. But Beijing says 30 years is
too long to wait for full reunification.
Vice-President Lien maintains the Nationalist Party
line that the Republic of China on Taiwan and the
People's Republic of China have been ruled separately
since 1949 and are two separate entities. In a speech
this week, he set out his blueprint for maintaining
peace with China.
/////LIEN ACTUALITY/////
To ensure peace in the Taiwan Strait, I propose that
both sides work toward a peace agreement. I also
suggested the creation of a peace zone in the Taiwan
Strait and a mechanism for mutual trust between the
military of both sides, including a hotline between
the leaders of each government.
/////END ACTUALITY/////
But Beijing says it will not deal with Mr. Lien until
he renounces outgoing President Lee Teng-hui's
statement last year that China and Taiwan have special
state-to-state relations. China refuses to recognize
Taiwan as a political equal.
Whoever wins the election Saturday will have to deal
with a government in Beijing that has become more
impatient about completing what it sees as the sacred
goal of reunification. But polls show that nearly 80
per cent of Taiwanese reject Beijing's formula for
reunification, whereby Taiwan would enjoy considerable
autonomy but still be under the thumb of the People's
Republic of China. (SIGNED)
NEB/RW/FC/PLM
17-Mar-2000 03:53 AM EDT (17-Mar-2000 0853 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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