Chinese Media Blast Taiwan Leader Following Party Defeat in
Legislative Poll
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=A69F4E:2F72C9D
Taiwanese opposition parties defeated pro-independence coalition that
centered on whether Taiwan should push toward formal independence
Chinese state media are lashing out at Taiwan's President Chen
Shui-bian, saying his party's loss in recent legislative elections is
no guarantee that he will stop pushing his pro-independence agenda.
Taiwanese opposition parties led by the Kuomintang, KMT, defeated a
pro-independence coalition led by President Chen Shui-bian's
Democratic Progressive Party in an election that centered on whether
Taiwan should push toward formal independence.
Beijing, which considers the self-governed island a part of its
territory, watched Saturday's election closely, with officials fearing
a DPP victory would allow Mr. Chen to move the island closer to
independence.
The KMT, on the other hand, is seen as more conciliatory toward
Beijing, even though reunification with mainland China is no longer a
key part of its platform.
But even though Beijing made no official comment on the DPP's failure
to take a majority in parliament, state media on Monday published
articles attacking Mr. Chen. One newspaper said the key question was
still whether Mr. Chen would push for independence, despite his
party's setback.
Beijing has threatened to attack Taiwan if it declares independence or
is slow to reunite with the mainland. Taiwan has been ruled separately
since Nationalist forces fled there after losing to the Communists on
the mainland 55 years ago.
Polls show more Taiwanese now favor independence than before, yet most
people prefer to keep the status quo, rather than declare full
independence.
Politics Professor Joseph Cheng, of the City University of Hong Kong,
says the KMT's less confrontational approach to ties with China was
popular among voters, who fear moving too fast and damaging the
growing economic ties between Taiwan and the mainland.
"While they are not interested in reunification, nor interested in the
'one country, two systems' formula offered by the Chinese leadership,
they also prefer not to provoke the Chinese leaders so as to escalate
the tension across the Taiwan Strait, which certainly implies economic
setbacks and economic difficulties for the island," he said.
In contrast, President Chen has proposed a referendum on a new
constitution in 2006, a measure that Beijing sees as a move toward
independence and a provocation.
The United States has pledged to defend Taiwan against an attack by
the mainland. But wary of getting drawn into a confrontation across
the Taiwan Strait, the Bush administration has warned both Beijing and
Taipei to avoid taking unilateral steps that would change the status
quo.