The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee yesterday condemned the "normal country resolution" approved on Sunday by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of Taiwan.

The so-called claim that "Taiwan is a sovereign state" is entirely a lie, said an official with the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC committee.

"Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and has never been a country. This is an inalterable truth recognized by the international community," the unidentified official said.

The "Taiwan independence" separatist activities, which violate the firm will of 1.3 billion Chinese people to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, "are doomed to fail," he added.

Approved by the DPP congress on Sunday, the resolution for a normal country brazenly put forth the actions of renaming Taiwan "as soon as possible", enacting a "new constitution", and holding a national referendum "at an appropriate time to demonstrate that Taiwan is a sovereign, independent country".

The resolution is a new "Taiwan independence" creed put forward by Chen Shui-bian and a minority of secessionist people with the DPP, the CPC official noted.

He expressed the hope that DPP members recognize the trend of future development of cross-Straits relations, bear in mind Taiwan people's blessing and Taiwan's future development, give up the "Taiwan independence" separatist opinion, and prevent the risky separatists from pushing Taiwan people into a disaster.

"We firmly oppose any separatist activities aimed at gaining Taiwan's 'independence' in any form," the official said.

"We firmly oppose the 'UN entry referendum' being plotted by the Chen Shui-bian authorities and we will do our utmost to safeguard cross-Straits peace and the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations with the prospect of a peaceful reunification."

(China Daily, Xinhua News Agency October 2, 2007)