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One-China Principle Allows for No Evasion or Ambiguity: Commentary
2004-08-16 18:37

China's Xinhua News Agency released a commentary today stressing that the one-China principle leaves no room for evasiveness or ambiguity.



"Anybody who dares insist on splitting Taiwan from China, in spite of the warning from the Chinese government and people, must bear responsibility for all the serious consequences arising therefrom," the commentary says.



The principle concerns China's reunification, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the Chinese government and people will make no concession on this major matter of principle, it adds.



The commentary was released in response to the policy speech delivered on Saturday by the leader of the Taiwan authorities.



The new leader said that he will not declare "Taiwan Independence," nor push for "the constituionalization of the two-states remarks" or "a referendum on reunification vs. independence," and that the abolition of the "National Reunification Council" and the "National Reunification Guidelines" will not be an issue.



However, on the key issue of accepting the one-China principle, the new leader adopted an evasive and vague attitude, saying that one-China is an issue that will be dealt with "in the future."



"Evidently, his so-called goodwill reconciliation lacks sincerity," the commentary says. "There are still unstable factorsfacing the development of relations across the Taiwan Straits."



The commentary says that the statement on authorization, issued jointly Saturday by the Taiwan Work Office of the Central



Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Taiwan Affairs



Office of the State Council, reiterates the government's stand on dealing with cross-Straits relations, representing the aspirations of the compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits.



One-China is both a political reality for the two sides and a  fact in Chinese history, which has been widely recognized by the international community, including the United Nations, the commentary notes.



If the Taiwan leader does not recognize the One-China principle, the commentary says, cross-Straits relations are unlikely to improve, and that will lead to conflict and a crisis will occur.



The article points out that the struggle against Taiwan separatist forces is one for either reunification or separation, absolutely not a battle over which political system is better.



The guiding principle of "peaceful reunification" and "one country, two systems", which is in the interests of all, is the best way for resolving the Taiwan issue, as has been proved in



Hong Kong and Macao, it says.



The commentary urges Taiwan's new leader to recognize absolutely the one-China principle and the fact that Taiwan is part of China.



"Acceptance or rejection of the one-China principle is the touchstone to test whether one sincerely wants to improve cross-



Straits relations," it says.



The mainland has repeatedly expressed its willingness to conduct dialogues, negotiations, and high-level visits between the two sides on the basis of the one-China principle, the commentary says.



"As long as the Taiwan authorities make a clear commitment that they will not accept the 'two-state theory,' and that they will adhere to the consensus reached between the Association for



Relations Across the Taiwan Straits and Taiwan's Strait Exchange



Foundation in 1992 that 'the two sides of the Straits both adhere to the one-China Principle,' dialogue may be held between authorized organizations or individuals of the two sides," the commentary says.



It notes that the Taiwan leader's straying from the one-China principle will put the Chinese people on guard against further promotion of Taiwan independence.



China will do its best to achieve reunification peacefully;  however, it is fully prepared to stop all separatist activities in the name of "Taiwan independence," the commentary adds.




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