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TAIWAN 'STAUNCH DEFENDER' OF CROSS-STRAIT PEACE: PRESIDENT

ROC Central News Agency

2006-05-12 23:20:58

    Taipei, May 12 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian said Friday Taiwan is the "staunch protector and defender" of the peaceful status quo in the Taiwan Strait while China is the sole threat to cross-strait peace.

    Chen, who just returned from a nine-day diplomatic tour, made the remarks while attending a dinner banquet marking the European Day hosted by the European Chamber of Commerce Taipei (ECCT).

    Noting that the people of Taiwan love peace and yearn for lasting peace in the Taiwan Strait, Chen said for over half a century, totalitarian China and democratic Taiwan have peacefully co-existed on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. "The sole threat to this status quo is totalitarian China, which has never ceased in its attempts to invade and annex democratic Taiwan by force. Taiwan is decidedly not the troublemaker for regional peace and stability; rather, it is the staunch protector and defender of the peaceful status quo in the Taiwan Strait," Chen said.

    At present, Chen said, China has deployed more than 800 tactical guided missiles targeting Taiwan on the opposite side of the Taiwan Strait. "That number is four-fold what it was when I took office as president in 2000."

    Meanwhile, Chen said China, in an attempt to provide a legal basis for the use of force against Taiwan and to solve cross-strait issues by non-peaceful means, China passed the so-called anti-secession law on March 14 last year ignoring unceasing opposition from the international community.

    In addition, the People's Liberation Army of China has completed plans for a three-stage invasion of Taiwan. These plans state clearly that the PLA is to establish contingency response combat capabilities by 2007; build up combat capabilities for large-scale military engagements by 2010; and be ready to ensure victory in a decisive battle with Taiwan by 2015. "Facts like these indicate that a totalitarian, militaristic, and belligerent China is not only the destroyer of the peaceful status quo in the Taiwan Strait, but also the foremost potential threat and challenge to regional and world peace," Chen said.

    The 20th-century history of Europe showed more than once that appeasing dictators and ignoring their violations of human rights only encourage further aggression, Chen noted, adding that such actions lead, inevitably, to the tragedy that is war. "Today, China is at a crossroads. Does it wish to press on with its militaristic totalitarianism? Or, does it wish to embrace the universal values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and peace, and strive to be a responsible stakeholder? This choice is crucial as it concerns the well-being of China's 1.3 billion people and because it will directly affect development across the globe in the 21st century. Helping totalitarian China to gradually evolve into ademocracy is not only an issue that affects Taiwan but also a question that all nations need to pay attention to and consider carefully," Chen said.

    He called for no repeat of past mistakes and no recurrence of past tragedies, stressing that isolating Taiwan, suppressing Taiwan, and even sacrificing Taiwan cannot possibly bring about cross-strait peace. "Only by guiding China to accelerate its political reform and democratization can an opportunity for lasting peace be created for both the Taiwan Strait and the world, " Chen said, adding that he hopes all nations that love peace and freedom, including those of the European Union, will work together to create a more democratic and peaceful world.

    In his speech, Chen also told the participants that he just concluded a diplomatic trip aimed at promoting peace and strengthening ties with Taiwan's allies. "I returned to Taiwan an hour ago. I came here to join tonight's celebration without having taken any rest. This signifies the great importance that the Taiwan government and I attach to the European Day," Chen said.

    During the trip, Chen visited Paraguay, Taiwan's only diplomatic ally in South America, and attended the inauguration ceremony of Costa Rican President Oscar Arias. He also made transit stops in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, Amsterdam in the Netherlands and San Domingo in the Dominican Republic and paid visits to Libya and Indonesia, both countries with which Taiwan currently does not have diplomatic relations.

(By Sofia Wu)

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