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China's army warns of war following Taiwan official's remarks |
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April 16, 2000
BEIJING, APR 15 (AP) - China's military, adding its weight to a tide of official outrage targeting Taiwan's vice president-elect, warned on Saturday that the "abyss of war" awaits the island if it declares independence.
The commentary in the Liberation Army Daily topped a week of vitriolic rhetoric aimed at Annette Lu by China's state-run media, which labeled her "scum of the nation," a lunatic and traitor for reportedly telling Hong Kong media that Taiwanese are distant relatives or neighbors of the mainland Chinese, rather than close family.
Beijing says Taiwan is part of China and that its people are Chinese. The two sides split amid civil war in 1949 and Beijing says they are destined to reunify, by force if necessary.
China has threatened attack if Taiwan declares independence, formalizing the de facto independence it has enjoyed for the past half-century.
The Liberation Army Daily, the main newspaper of the 2.5-million member Chinese military, said Lu was "going farther and farther down the road of `Taiwan independence."'
"Taiwan independence means war," the newspaper thundered. "Whoever ignores this important information from us and remains bent on having their own way will push Taiwan into the abyss of war, bringing disaster on the Taiwanese people."
Lu and President-elect Chen Shui-bian, who won Taiwan's March 18 election, belong to the Democratic Progressive Party, which favors independence for Taiwan.
Beijing had threatened war if Taiwan voted for pro-independence candidates. While Beijing has won U.S. praise for its restraint since the election, many Chinese say they are frustrated that their government has taken no action.
Beijing says it is waiting to see what Chen does after he takes office May 20. It has urged him to recognize that China and Taiwan are part of one country, saying talks can begin if he does so.
The Liberation Army Daily said China is still committed to peacefully reunifying Taiwan with the Chinese mainland but added that there would not be "the slightest concession" on questions of national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
"The consequences will dreadful to contemplate if Annette Lu and others of her ilk, blinded by lust for gain, underestimate the resolute determination of the Chinese government and people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, underestimate the power of the People's Liberation Army to resolve the Taiwan question, and gamble with the welfare of the 23 million Taiwanese people," it said.
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