China: Taiwan Independence = War
BEIJING, Nov. 19, 2003
(Photo: AP)
"Taiwan independence means war."
Wang Zaixi, vice minister of the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's Cabinet
(CBS/AP) In unusually strong language, China ratcheted up the rhetoric against Taiwan in remarks published Wednesday and threatened that "the use of force may become unavoidable" if the island's leaders pursue independence.
The warning from Beijing came as Taiwan prepares to elect a new leader in March. President Chen Shui-bian, running for office again, has won over more voters since he came up with plans for a new constitution and a law on referendums that could conceivably lead to citizens voting on Taiwanese independence.
Wang Zaixi, a top mainland official who deals with the Taiwan issue, said curbing any efforts the island makes toward independence is the ultimate goal of the mainland, which will go to war if necessary.
"If the Taiwan authorities collude with all splittist forces to openly engage in pro-independence activities and challenge the mainland and the one-China principle, the use of force may become unavoidable," Wang was quoted as saying in China Daily, an English-language newspaper with a wide foreign audience.
Separatists will "pay a high cost if they think we will not use force," said Wang, vice minister of the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's Cabinet. "Taiwan independence means war."
Wang, who was speaking at a seminar on cross-straits relations, also tempered his remarks by adding that "the people of Taiwan are our brothers and sisters. We are not willing to meet at the battleground."
The Chinese Cabinet's Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing had no immediate comment on Wednesday. The Mainland Affairs Council in Taipei was silent hours after Wang's remarks were published — a rare move from a normally responsive government.
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