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President defends U.N. referendum

ROC Central News Agency

2007-12-13 20:45:54

    Berlin, Dec. 12 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian has said during an interview with a German weekly that Taiwan's holding of referendums on public policy issues of major concern is an indispensable step toward deepening the country's democratic institutions.

    Chen made the remarks in the interview with Germany's Die Zeit weekly to be published Thursday.

    In the interview, Chen praised German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her courage in receiving Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama during the latter's visit to Germany in September, in defiance of China's strong protest.

    Merkel's meeting with the Dalai Lama adversely affected Germany-China ties, with Beijing later canceling several high-level talks between the two countries.

    According to Chen, her action showed that "common values are more important than vested interests."

    Asked about criticism by the European Union and the United States of Taiwan's plan to hold a referendum on its quest for a seat in the United Nations under the name Taiwan, Chen said Taiwan appreciates these countries' concern, but added that the holding of referendums is an inevitable step for Taiwan on its march toward full democracy.

    Chen described democracy as Taiwan's best defensive weapon and said the country should not waver from this cause, adding that he disagrees with China's claim that Taiwan's referendum proposal is a move toward de jure independence, as the island is already independent. "Taiwan and China do not belong to each other. Each has their different cultures and this is the status quo existing between the two sides of Taiwan Strait, which Taiwan hopes to maintain, " Chen said.

    Taiwan's future can only be decided by its people and no-one can declare that Taiwan is part of People's Republic of China, Chen went on.

    However, Chen said it is a possibility that the two sides could move toward reconciliation if China were to abandon considering Taiwan as one of its provinces. "The big problem for China's leaders is that they are not willing to listen to the voices of Taiwan's people, believing that they lack the courage to reject Beijing's `one China' policy, " Chen said, adding that Taiwan will not yield to China's political, military and economic threats.

(By Lin Yu-li and Elisa Kao)

ENDITEM/J