Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

GIO CHIEF WELCOMES U.S.-JAPAN CONCERN OVER TAIWAN SECURITY

ROC Central News Agency

2005-03-03 18:28:24

    Tokyo, March 3 (CNA) Republic of China Government Information Office (GIO) Director-General Lin Chia-lung welcomed a recent joint U.S.-Japan statement that cited Taiwan as a "joint strategic objective" and said that the two countries have sent a clear anti-war message to Beijing in doing so, a Japanese newspaper reported Thursday.

    Lin said in the report published by the Maichi Shimbun that the two countries' inclusion of peace in the Taiwan Strait as a concern in their joint statement represents a clear point in the Japan- U.S. security alliance and that he very much welcomes the move which will help lay a cornerstone of peace in the Asia-Pacific region.

    In addition, he pointed out, the two countries transmitted a clear message to the Beijing leadership about their grave concerns over peace across the Strait, the report said.

    Commenting on Beijing's plan to enact a proposed "anti-secession law" in the middle of this month, Lin claimed that it will only pour cold water on efforts to ease tensions between Taiwan and mainland China, the report said.

    According to Lin, the purpose of the Beijing's law is to empower itself to define and alter the cross-strait status quo and to use it to split the Taiwan people and increase its grip on Taiwan businessmen operating in mainland China.

    The law can also be used as an excuse by Beijing to attack Taiwan and apply it to deal with the disputed Tiaoyutai Islands, which are claimed by Taiwan, mainland China and Japan, he said.

    The GIO head ascribed Beijing's scheme to the re-election of President Chen Shui-bian in March 2004 out of its distrust of the president's Taiwan-centric stance.

    Describing the Taiwan-mainland charter flight service during the lunar new year holidays as a part of President Chen's sunshine policy to improve cross-strait ties, he said that Beijing's "anti-secession law" will not only dampen Chen's peace-making efforts but will also annoy the people of Taiwan.

    The Taiwan government might be pushed by its angry people to counter the "anti-secession law " by holding a defensive referendum in protest against Beijing, he said, adding that it is now facing a huge test at this juncture.

    Beijing's National People's Congress is expected to pass the "anti-secession law" in the middle of this month during its 10th plenary session, which will open on March 5.

(By Mike Chang and Flor Wang)

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