Chen's move hurts cross-Straits peace
China Daily  Updated: 2006-02-25 07:33

If you want to know how an immoral and irresponsible politician behaves, just look at Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian.

Nearly six years in power, he has been pursuing interests for himself and his pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) at the cost of Taiwan people's fundamental needs and rights.

Bent on his secessionist push, Chen has consistently betrayed his pledges to address the island's economic woes.

Now he has resorted to desperate steps to strain cross-Straits ties to avoid being a lame duck in the remaining two years of his second and final term.

His latest plan is to scrap the island's council and guidelines on unification with the Chinese mainland, although it would break a promise he made in his 2000 inauguration speech not to do so.

Chen is apparently attempting to stir up the secessionist sentiments in Taiwan and create confrontations between different groups of people in the island.

Meanwhile, he attempts to consolidate his own power by instigating hostility and confrontation across the Straits.

Such a move would also pave the way for his "constitutional re-engineering" project aimed at legitimizing "Taiwan independence" by enacting a new "constitution" by 2008.

Calling Chen's plan "a dangerous sign of escalation of Taiwan secessionist activities," Beijing has warned against any consequence that may follow.

Chen Yunlin, Beijing's top official on cross-Straits affairs, said on Thursday that the mainland will "keep close watch on related development and prepare to deal with any possible complicated situation at any time."

The determination to crush any further pro-independence move from Chen Shui-bian is badly needed, given his intensified push for "Taiwan independence."

As a diehard secessionist member who has no credibility, Chen may take reckless action to upset the cross-Straits status quo by causing Taiwan's secession from China.

The growing danger serves as an alarming reminder of the great harm of "Taiwan independence" secessionist activities.

Chen Shui-bian's pro-independence move goes against the Taiwan people's aspiration for cross-Straits peace and stability. It also challenges the will of the international community to safeguard world peace and promote development.

So far, both the United States and Russia have expressed grave concern over Chen Shui-bian's plan to dissolve the council and the guidelines, urging Taipei to refrain from taking unilateral actions to change the status quo.

Only by effectively opposing and checking Taiwan's secession from China by secessionists can peace and stability be maintained in the Taiwan Straits and the Asia-Pacific region.

Article Two of the Anti-Secession Law adopted by the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, stipulates that: "Taiwan is part of China. The State shall never allow the 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces to make Taiwan secede from China under any name or by any means."

The law reflects the will of all Chinese, who will never tolerate any move to change the status quo that both the mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China.

(China Daily 02/25/2006 page4)

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