Kindgo
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ABCNews Just picked up the story:
China Says Taiwan Could Face `Use of Force' If Radical Moves Continue on Island
The Associated Press
B E I J I N G, Aug. 6 — Taiwan faces a growing possibility of military action by the mainland if "radical pro-independence moves" continue on the island, the Chinese government warned Wednesday through its state-run media.
There is a growing possibility that "peace will have to be safeguarded and won through the use of force," a newspaper article said, quoting what it called a "senior military source."
"We must not delude ourselves that the separatists will abandon their pro-independence pursuit overnight," the source was quoted as saying. "If we want to strive for peace, we have to be fully prepared for military action."
The carefully worded article came just days after Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian angered Beijing by saying Taiwan might "walk its own road" and is, like China, a separate nation. The communist Chinese government regards Taiwan as part of its territory and considers unification the most sensitive issue it faces.
The article ran Wednesday in two top state-controlled outlets the China Daily newspaper and the Web site of People's Daily, the official Communist Party newspaper. Both are key conduits for policy statements by the Beijing leadership.
It stressed that China preferred peaceful solutions but said it was open to other options if necessary. "Taiwan choosing independence is tantamount to choosing war," the article said.
The newspapers quoted the military official as saying that Chen's comments "underscore the need for the mainland to proceed with military preparations as a backup to encourage further work to bring about a peaceful reunification.
"The resolution to the Taiwan question cannot be postponed indefinitely," the military source was quoted as saying. "We have enough confidence and determination to settle the question," he added.
In a separate editorial in its Chinese-language domestic edition, People's Daily called Chen's recent comments a "dangerous provocation."
"Chen Shui-bian has finally taken off his camouflage," it said in the front-page editorial. "This is a wanton provocation of the Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait."
China's media, which are all state-controlled, have spent the past two days roundly denouncing Chen's comments, bringing out political leaders, analysts and everyday citizens to trumpet the error and danger of such talk.
Over the weekend, Chen said in a speech that Taiwan and China are both countries a view anathema to Chinese leaders who believe the island belongs to China. A civil war split the two sides 53 years ago, and Beijing says the island must unify eventually or face war.
Chen did not specifically use the word "independence."
On Tuesday, apparently trying to quiet the uproar, Chen backed away a bit from his assertion, saying his comment about there being "one country on each side" of the Taiwan Strait was "oversimplified."
Taiwan's military spokesman said Tuesday that China is holding war games directly across from Taiwan, but he called the drills routine and non-threatening.
Mainland leaders have long refused to meet with Chen until he agrees that Taiwan is a part of China. Chen has refused to accept any preconditions.
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God bless,
Kindgo
Inside the will of God there is no failure. Outside the will of God there is no success.
Posts: 4320 | From: Sunny Florida | Registered: Jun 2002
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