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Taipei, Jan. 31 (CNA) A recent statement on cross-Taiwan Strait issues made by the Democratic Progressive Party's presidential candidate Chen Shiu-bian is too ambiguous to effectively resolve bilateral disputes, said independent presidential hopeful Hsu Hsin-liang on Monday.

Commenting on Chen's "seven-point" statement issued on Sunday to mark the fifth anniversary of the "eight-point" statement made by mainland Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Hsu claimed that Chen made the remarks only to allay the international community's concern and appease moderate people in Taiwan and mainland China, a move which will not truly help resolve two-way problems.

Chen declared that the DPP, providing he is elected as Taiwan's next president, would not declare Taiwan independence or hold a referendum on the issue as long as this island is free from military attacks by mainland China.

Chen further pointed out that he is open to discussing the concept of the so-called "one China" only if it is not a rigidly defined precondition.

Although Hsu said Chen seems to have made a little progress on the issue of holding a plebiscite, the former DPP chairman argued that Chen remains too ambiguous when mentioning that he is willing to discuss the "one China" concept.

Hsu said he is skeptical about how Chen would start such talks with mainland China without having put forth a practical and feasible formula. He accused Chen of only seeking to appease the international community, as well as the Beijing authorities and some Taiwan voters.

All political leaders, both in Taiwan and on the mainland, who wish to forge peace across the Taiwan Strait must have the courage to counter local bias and resentment toward the other side, opined Hsu.

Hsu also criticized Chen's proposal that both Taiwan and mainland China participate in international activities modeled after the World Trade Organization (WTO) as impractical, because the WTO is only an economic organization while many world bodies which Taiwan wishes to join require statehood. (By Flor Wang)