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BEIJING WANTS TO CHANGE TAIWAN'S STATUS: ROC PRESIDENT

2003-12-11 22:30:12

    Taipei, Dec. 11 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian said Thursday that mainland China wants to change Taiwan's status by deploying missiles targeting the island, intimidating it, and trying to make it a part of China, like Hong Kong.

    Chen made the remarks while receiving a group of scholars from the United States, Japan and Taiwan who were attending a two-day seminar on China issues that opened that day.

    Chen was responding to recent remarks by U.S. President George W. Bush regarding Taiwan during a meeting with mainland Premier Wen Jiabao that the United States continues to adhere to its "one China" policy and it opposes any unilateral decision by either the mainland or Taiwan to change the status quo. "The comments and actions made by the leader of Taiwan indicate that he may be willing to make decisions unilaterally, to change the status quo, which we oppose, " Bush said.

    For his part, Chen said it is Beijing that wants Taiwan to accept its "one China" policy and the "one country, two systems" formula and is using intimidation with missiles to try and force a change in Taiwan's status.

    He said he does not believe the American and Japanese people will take Beijing's deployment of 496 missiles and its military threat against Taiwan for granted.

    Chen added that if the mainland dismantles the missiles targeting Taiwan and renounces the use of force against Taiwan, he will not conduct a referendum March 20 next year, the day of Taiwan's presidential election.

    Chen said recently that he will hold a "defensive referendum" on election day to ask the people of Taiwan if they feel that Beijing should remove the 496 ballistic missiles targeting Taiwan.

    A referendum law passed recently by the Legislative Yuan gives the president the right to initiate a referendum on national security issues in case of an external threat.

    Chen's move has been construed by the mainland as an initial move toward independence and has caused much concern on the part of the U.S. authorities.

    Taiwan appreciates Bush's promise made in April 2001 that the United States is obligated to help Taiwan defend itself under the Taiwan Relations Act -- the U.S. law governing engagements with Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic ties -- in case of attack from Beijing, and according to U.S. officials, Bush's pledge is still valid, Chen said. "We have no intention of changing Taiwan's status and will not allow it to be changed, " Chen stressed, adding that the appeal to urge Beijing to dismantle missiles and abandon the use of force is aimed at maintaining Taiwan's status and peace.

(By Elisa Kao)

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