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TAIWAN HAS RIGHT TO SAY `NO' TO BEIJING: MAC OFFICIAL

Aug 06, 2002 21:36 UTC+0800

Taipei, Aug. 6 (CNA) Mainland Affairs Council Vice Chairman Chen Ming-tong said Tuesday that President Chen Shui-bian, as the leader of the country, has to tell Beijing that Taiwan has right to say "no" when necessary.

Chen made the remarks to defend the president's "equal sovereignty" statement he made while meeting with reporters earlier in the day.

The MAC official said: "Since we refuse to accept Beijing's `one country, two systems,' we should demonstrate our resolve and tell the other side that `we have the right to say no.'"

The president stated in a speech to a gathering of the pro-Taiwan independence World Federation of Taiwanese Associations in Tokyo Saturday that there is one country on either side of the Taiwan Strait.

When asked by reporters what was the president's intention when he made the statement, the MAC official noted that Beijing has recently strengthened its military deployments and its diplomatic work against Taiwan.

"As the leader of the country, the president should take action when necessary to urge voters to understand the situation and tell the other side that `Taiwan has right to say no,'" he said.

The MAC official said that public opinion surveys indicate that the majority in Taiwan are against Beijing's "one country, two systems" formula and added: "Presdient Chen's statement is mainly designed to call on the voters to reject Beijing's pressure."

Nevertheless, he reiterated that "the government's mainland policy remains unchanged" and went on to say that Taiwan continues to maintain "good communications" with the United States.

The official pointed out that Taiwan also hopes that through such action, the United States will understand that Taiwan has been driven into a corner by the mainland.

He said that the main purpose of MAC Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen's current trip to Washington is to pass on this message.

The official complained that Beijing has failed to respond properly to Taipei's goodwill offers since the inauguration of the Democratic Progressive Party administration in May 2000.

He was also critical of the mainland's moves to step up its military deployments along the coast facing the Taiwan Strait and its persuasion of Nauru to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan July 21, the very day Chen assumed his concurrent post as DPP chairman.

(By Victor Lai)