Taiwan's leader Chen Shui-bian has unscrupulously fanned
anti-mainland feeling in a selfish and "extremely immoral" bid to
win votes in the coming election, and his action was "extremely
immoral," said Zhang Mingqing, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs
Office under the State Council, Wednesday.
In order to win more votes, Chen even proposed a "holy war"
against the mainland in his speech on Monday. "His actions go
against the will of Taiwanese compatriots to seek peace, stability
and development," Zhang said.
Zhang said Chen had continuously violated the one China
principle since taking power by his provocative claims and
policies. He deceived the Taiwan public and the international
community by reneging on promises in his May 2000 inaugural speech
not to declare Taiwan independence, nor to incorporate the "two
states" remarks into its constitution, nor to change the so-called
country's name, nor to call a referendum on independence during his
tenure.
The office issued an official document on Dec. 25, reiterating
the mainland's basic stand and policies on the "three direct links"
across the Taiwan Straits -- direct links in mail, transport and
trade.
Given the situation caused by the Taiwan authorities, in which
dialogue and consultation between the mainland-based Association
for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and the
Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) cannot be resumed,
it could be feasible for non-governmental trade organizations on
both sides of the Taiwan Straits to conduct consultations on the
"three direct links" issue, according to a document published by
the office on Dec. 17 to promote the "three direct links."
Most Taiwan business people had a positive attitude on the
document, and the Taiwan authority's political stand was the
biggest obstacle to realizing the "three direct links," Zhang
said.
Chinese President Hu Jintao reiterated China's adherence to the
basic principles of "peaceful reunification" and "one country, two
systems" in a meeting with the presidents of associations of Taiwan
enterprises on the mainland on Dec. 25.
Hu said the central government welcomed and encouraged Taiwan
compatriots to invest in and develop trade and businesses on the
mainland, and would support whatever encouraged Taiwan people to
develop businesses on the mainland, whatever benefited the economy,
science, technology and culture exchanges and cooperation across
the Straits and whatever helped the development of relations and
peaceful reunification.
(Xinhua News Agency January 1, 2004)