BEIJING HURT FEELINGS OF TAIWAN PEOPLE: DPP
2004-05-24 21:14:12
Taipei, May 24 (CNA) Mainland China has hurt the feelings of the Taiwan people by lambasting President Chen Shui-bian's inaugural address, even though the address was widely applauded at home and abroad, an official of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said Monday.
DPP Deputy Secretary-General Chung Chia-ping said it is regrettable that Beijing cannot get past its Taiwan-bashing mode and that it turned a blind eye to the broad support Chen's address got at home and overseas.
His opinion was shared by DPP caucus whip at the Legislative Yuan Tsai Huang-liang, who said Beijing failed to see Chen's address in perspective and it is now clear which side of the Taiwan Strait should be held responsible for the stagnant ties between them.
Asked to comment on Beijing's response earlier in the day to Chen's speech, Tsai claimed that Chen reached out to Beijing in his speech but was spurned by the communist authorities, who are trying to present the president in the worst possible light.
Noting that Chen did not rule out any possibility in terms of Taiwan's ties with mainland as long as it is approved by the Taiwan people, Tsai said the significance of Chen's address lies in the fact that the door for contacts with Beijing is opening and the ball is now in Beijing's court.
Instead of wooing the Taiwan people, Beijing is alienating them by branding Chen's speech as smacking of independence, which will not help improve ties with Taiwan, Tsai said.
(By Maubo Chang)
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