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KMT CHAIRMAN CRITICAL OF PRESIDENT'S CONTROVERSIAL STATEMENT

Aug 07, 2002 22:04 UTC+0800

Taipei, Aug. 7 (CNA) Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan said Wednesday that President Chen Shui-bian's recent controversial statement regarding Taiwan's status provided Beijing with a good opportunity to propagate its claim of sovereignty over Taiwan.

Speaking at a meeting of the party's Central Standing Committee, Lien noted that it also gave a good excuse for mainland China's hawkish forces to increase their say.

Chen told a Tokyo gathering of pro-Taiwan independence activists Aug. 3 that, "Taiwan and China standing on opposite sides of the Strait -- there is one country on each side. This should be clear."

His statement prompted Beijing officials to launch a series of attacks on Chen and caused concern from the U.S. government. Stock prices in Taiwan also dropped sharply.

Lien deplored Chen's statement saying, "It violates the ROC Constitution and is not in line with the 'one-China' principle as stipulated in the Constitution."

He said that the KMT would not like to see Chen ignore the welfare and security of the 23 million people on Taiwan to walk toward independence.

Saying that the ROC has been a country with independent sovereignty since 1912, Lien pointed out that the KMT's stand is to maintain the status quo and added that it opposes Taiwan independence, but is also against hasty unification.

Meanwhile, KMT legislative caucus secretary-general Lee Chuan-chiao affirmed Chen's move Tuesday to modify his Aug. 3 statement into "the sovereignty of Taiwan and mainland China are equal."

Lee said that the KMT was happy that Chen acted to defuse the crisis, but noted that there is no need for Chen to reiterate the historical fact that the ROC is a sovereign country.

He expressed the hope that Chen will apologize for the heavy loss on the domestic stock market caused by his statement, estimated at NT$500 billion (US$14.7 billion).

(By Victor Lai)