[News] Xinhua: China Refuses to Rule Out Use of Force Against Taiwan

["DiemQuynh Nguyen" <diemquynhng@hotmail.com>]

China Refuses to Rule Out Use of Force Against Taiwan
>
>    WASHINGTON, August 19 (Xinhua) -- China's consistent policy on
>the Taiwan question is peaceful reunification on the basis of "one
>country, two systems", but it refuses to rule out the use of
>force, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Li Zhaoxing said at
>a press conference here Thursday.
>    "We refuse to rule out the use of force. We keep that option
>open not to target at the people in Taiwan, but to stop possible
>Taiwan independence and foreign invasion or intervention against
>the island," Li Zhaoxing said.
>    The Chinese government and people have both the determination
>and capability to maintain China's sovereignty, unity and
>territorial integrity, Li said.
>    Lee Teng-hui, the so-called "President" of Taiwan, could avoid
>total condemnation only if he abandons his "state-to-state"
>fallacy and returns to the "one China" principle, he added.
>    Commenting on the recent remarks by some American politicians
>that the U.S. would protect Taiwan militarily should China use
>force on Taiwan, the ambassador said that Chinese people love
>peace and long for peace, but they will not be cowed by threats
>and blackmails from anyone.
>    "Taiwan is part of China. It is not Florida, Hawaii or Guam.
>The Taiwan issue is China's internal affair which brooks no
>foreign interference," he said.
>    He said China has noted the U.S. government has committed to
>follow the "one China" policy, abide by the three joint
>communiques, and not to support Taiwan independence, "two Chinas"
>or "one China, one Taiwan" and Taiwan's membership in the U.N. and
>other international organizations where statehood is required.
>    "Only Lee Teng-hui wants a military flare-up between China and
>U.S.," he said, "he wants Americans to do things for him at their
>expense."
>    "What is in there for the vital U.S. interests? I hope people
>with vision in this country can understand this and judge wisely."
>    The ambassador accused Lee Teng-hui of "racking his brains" to
>undermine China-U.S. relations and to damage the basis for
>cross-Straits dialog in an attempt to seek Taiwan independence.
>    "Lee Teng-hui's motive for putting forth the 'state-to-state'
>doctrine is crystal clear. The crux of the matter is that he is
>after Taiwan independence, denying the "one China" principle and
>separating Taiwan from China," Li Zhaoxing said.
>    "Facts show that Lee Teng-hui is the biggest obstacle to the
>cross-Straits dialog and China's peaceful reunification. He is the
>biggest trouble-maker for China-U.S. relations. And for the time
>being, he is also the biggest destabilizing factor in the
>Asia-pacific region," he said.
>    On the question of Taiwan's entry into World Trade
>Organization(WTO), the ambassador said as a separate customs
>territory of China, Taiwan can join the WTO only after China has
>become its member. Enditem


_______________________________________________________________
Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com