Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

TAIWAN FEARS NO NEGOTIATIONS WITH CHINA: FOREIGN MINISTER

Central News Agency

2005-06-22 17:52:56

    San Francisco, June 21 (CNA) Taiwan is not afraid of negotiating with China and will not rule out opening political talks with Beijing, Minister of Foreign Affairs Tan Sun Chen said Tuesday.

    Chen pointed out that Taiwan has shown goodwill to China on many occasions and that President Chen Shui-bian has offered to reopen cross-Taiwan Strait dialogue based on the foundation of the 1992 talks in Hong Kong.

    The minister made the remarks while giving a speech on the cross-strait situation and the triangular U.S.-China-Taiwan relations at the World Affairs Council of Northern California in San Francisco.

    Saying Taiwan's resolve to deepen its democratic development remains unchanged, Chen noted that the constitutional reforms accomplished recently in Taiwan are aimed at enhancing government efficiency.

    The president has promised that the second phase of reforms will not involve changes to the country's territorial boundaries or official designation, he went on.

    He said Taiwan's status as an independent, sovereign state will not change and that Taiwan will stick to its position to maintain the cross-strait status quo.

    On the situation in China, Chen said the "peaceful rise" claimed by Beijing has in fact posed a serious challenge to the world, because China has emerged as a superpower in terms of economy, military and nationalism but not democracy.

    He urged the international community not to make concessions to China on cross-strait issues and called on Washington to promote constructive U.S.-China-Taiwan relations.

(By Chiang Chun and Y.F. Low)

ENDITEM/J