A senior US military officer has criticized Taiwan leader Chen
Shui-bian for statements on the island's "independence," saying
they were unhelpful to maintaining peace across the Taiwan
Straits.
US Pacific Command Admiral Timothy Keating's remarks on Tuesday
reflected Washington's fears over Chen's plan to hold a referendum
on Taiwan's entry to the United Nations under the name "Taiwan",
which is strongly opposed by Beijing.
Keating told an audience at the Center for Strategic and
International Studies think tank that "Chen's rhetoric isn't
entirely helpful" and his "statements about Taiwan independence
could potentially increase Taiwan Strait tensions."
His remarks coincided with the UN's latest rejection of the
Taiwan authorities' application for membership of the world body.
It cited a 1971 resolution that insists China is one nation, and
recognizes the People's Republic of China as the lawful
representative of China in the UN.
The Taiwan Work Office of the Central Committee of the Communist
Party of China and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council
issued a statement on Tuesday, criticizing Chen as a "schemer" and
"saboteur" of peace and stability. His "Taiwan independence"
activities are doomed to failure, the statement said.
The bid to join the UN was the latest in a series of moves by
Chen to separate Taiwan from China as his final term in office
winds down before elections early next year.
The US State Department urged Taiwan last month not to hold a
referendum over a possible UN bid. The US opposes all initiatives
to change Taiwan's status quo unilaterally and a referendum would
increase tensions in the Taiwan Straits, said US State Department
spokesman Sean McCormack.
(China Daily July 26, 2007)