- Title: CHINA: CHINA WARNS TAIWAN OF "DISASTER" OVER DEMANDS FOR INDEPENDENCE
- Date: 26th November 2003
- Summary: (U1) BEIJING, CHINA (NOVEMBER 26, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE PRESS CONFERENCE 0.05 2. WIDE OF MEDIA LISTENING 0.11 3. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) ZHAN MINGQING, SPOKESMAN FOR TAIWAN AFFAIRS OFFICE, SAYING: "We have already clearly expressed a number of times that the United States should truly adhere to the One-China principle under the three joint Sino-U.S. communiqus and that they should absolutely not give a wrong signal to the Taiwan separatist forces. Because that will not be helpful to the development of the cross-straits relationship and will not help the stability of the Sino-U.S. situation and China's reunification." 0.55 4. WIDE OF MEDIA LISTENING 1.01 5. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) ZHANG MINGQING, SPOKESMAN FOR TAIWAN AFFAIRS OFFICE, SAYING: "We have already clearly expressed a number of times that the United States should truly adhere to the One-China principle under the three joint Sino-U.S. communiqus and that they should absolutely not give a wrong signal to the Taiwan separatist forces. Because that will not be helpful to the development of the cross-straits relationship and will not help the stability of the Sino-U.S. situation and China's reunification." 1.33 6. WIDE OF MEDIA 1.36 7. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) ZHANG MINGQING, SPOKESMAN FOR TAIWAN AFFAIRS OFFICE, SAYING: "If, in two days time Taiwan passes a referendum bill with no restriction on contents on the basis of law we will definitely have a powerful reaction. If you ask me what kind of reaction this will be, I believe you will know in a few days time." 2.05 8. WIDE OF ZHANG MINGQUING AT PRESS CONFERENCE 2.10 9. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) ZHANG MINGQING, SPOKESMAN FOR TAIWAN AFFAIRS OFFICE, SAYING: "If Taiwan is honest about next year's Lunar New Year charter flight -- if they really want to go through with it, then we welcome the civil organisations on both sides of the Taiwan Straits to discuss technical and work related issues. We hope this will be successful." 2.30 10. WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE 2.36 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 11th December 2003 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BEIJING ,CHINA
- Country: China
- Reuters ID: LVA2740UE0OCWBITWL2G5BS2B6DJ
- Story Text: China warns Taiwan of "disaster" if it continues its pursuit of independence.
China warned Taiwan on Wednesday (November 26) that
President Chen Shui-bian would lead Taiwan compatriots to
disaster and hurt their fundamental interests with his push
for independence.
"Therefore, we believe if he goes through with this
(referendum) it is a serious provocation of the One-China
principle and seriously destroys relations between the two
sides. It is something that 1.3 billion Chinese absolutely
cannot tolerate. So we believe if Chen Shui-bian refuses to
be rational and insists on continuing on this road towards
Taiwan independence, this will inevitably hurt the basic
interests of the Taiwan people and will bring disaster to
our Taiwan compatriots," Zhang said.
Taiwan has said it will not back down on plans to
rewrite its constitution despite opposition from China,
which is calling on the United States to help it clamp down
on separatist moves on the island.
"We have already clearly expressed a number of times
that the United States should truly adhere to the One-China
principle under the three joint Sino-U.S. communiqus and
that they should absolutely not give a wrong signal to the
Taiwan separatist forces. Because that will not be helpful
to the development of the cross-straits relationship and
will not help the stability of the Sino-U.S. situation and
China's reunification," Zhang said.
Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian has infuriated China by
using an aggressive assertion that the island is a separate
country from the mainland as the key pillar of his campaign
for re-election next March.
Although Chen insists a new constitution is not related
to a push for Taiwan independence, saying it can help
resolve a host of domestic legislative issues, analysts
believe it nudges the island towards a permanent split from
the mainland.
Chen wanted to hold a referendum on December 10, 2006,
which is also World Human Rights Day, with the document
taking effect on May 20, 2008.
"If, in two days time Taiwan passes a referendum bill
with no restriction on contents on the basis of law we will
definitely have a powerful reaction. If you ask me what
kind of reaction this will be, I believe you will know in a
few days time." China urged diplomatic rival Taiwan
t
o allow Chinese
airlines to fly direct charter flights to the island over
January's Lunar New Year holidays.
"If Taiwan is honest about next year's Lunar New Year
charter flight -- if they really want to go through with
it, then we welcome the civil organisations on both sides
of the Taiwan Straits to discuss technical and work related
issues. We hope this will be successful," Zhang said.
Taiwan bans direct transport links with China, which
views the self-governing island as a breakaway province
that must eventually be reunified, by force if necessary.
Taiwan airlines flew Taiwanese living in China back
home for the Lunar New Year holiday in January this year
after brief stopovers in Hong Kong or Macau -- the first
such commercial flights since the civil war split the
island from China in 1949.
Chinese airlines were barred.
ASIA/JRC
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