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Taiwan Urges China to Renounce Force, Repair Ties
Fri Mar 25, 3:26 AM ET World - Reuters
By Tiffany Wu
TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan said on Friday it will be difficult to resume fence-mending talks with China, stalled since 1999, unless Beijing shows respect for Taiwan democracy and renounces the use of force against the island.
On the eve of a planned mass protest in Taipei against China's recently approved anti-secession law, Mainland Affairs Council chairman Joseph Wu urged Beijing to remedy the damage caused by the law, which he said has dealt a severe blow to ties.
"We also want the Chinese side to understand that we are angry, and we want to show the Chinese side that we are not going to budge if China is trying to limit our freedom of expression," Wu told a foreign media news conference.
"We also want the Chinese side to clearly show that they will not resort to non-peaceful means against Taiwan under any circumstances," he said.
"If the Chinese continue to go on this path, then I think there is going to be no chance for the two sides to go on a positive direction for improvement of cross-strait relations in the short term," Wu said.
The ruling pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party plans to muster one million people, including President Chen Shui-bian, on the streets of Taipei on Saturday to protest the anti-secession law, approved by China's parliament on March 14.
The legislation codified Beijing's longstanding threat to attack the island of 23 million people, which it considers a renegade province, and authorized the use of non-peaceful measures if Taiwan pushes for formal statehood.
Sunday's march is being seen as a cry for help to the international community, and a chance for pro-independence supporters to let off steam.
Wu said the anti-secession law, which Beijing said promoted peaceful reunification, had backfired in diplomatic circles, citing U.S. opposition and second thoughts in the European Union (news - web sites) about lifting an arms embargo on China.
But while Western diplomats in Beijing said China was surprised by the international reaction, Chinese analysts interpreted the recent comments from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) on the legislation as mild.
"The law could bring problems in the short term but it's fine so long as no steps are taken to further escalate tension," said Niu Jun, professor of international relations at Peking University.
MORE LEGISLATION
Washington has been putting pressure on Beijing and Taipei to mend fences, wary of being dragged into a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, seen as one of Asia's most dangerous flashpoints.
But even Wu conceded that China was unlikely to renounce force against Taiwan, which the communist government has claimed as part of its territory since the defeated Nationalists fled to the island at the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949.
Chinese academics were quoted by the official China Daily as saying the Saturday protest could raise tensions and sour ties.
Wu said Beijing was "ignorant" of Taiwan's democracy and planned to amend its national defense law and draft another law governing states of emergency to incorporate parts of the anti-secession bill, such as the use of non-peaceful means.
Taiwan has received concrete information showing China was planning 12 to 14 side laws that would be derived from the anti-secession law, he said.
Wu urged China's leaders to reiterate earlier, more friendly rhetoric toward Taiwan, such as saying they still pinned their hopes on Taiwan people, or saying they respected the way of life of Taiwan people and their desire to be masters of their own house. (Additional reporting by Benjamin Lim in Beijing)
Kathianne said:What is the 'international community' going to say?
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...574&e=12&u=/nm/20050325/wl_nm/taiwan_china_dc
Revolutions Asia Taiwan
TAIWAN STRAITS GO ONE MILLION GREEN!
Nearly two weeks ago after China passed its anti-secession law, Taiwan called on its population to protest en masse today. It is being called the 326 protest, and it hoping to pull over one million people. It is early in Taiwan right now, but over the past week, people have already started voicing out their discontent with China. One sign of this were 400 cab drivers lining up in an aerial view that spells peace...
Kathianne said:
