China's Vice Premier Qian Qichen (
"As long as Taiwan authorities agree to solve the Taiwan problem under the `one China' principle, we can patiently wait," Qian told an audience of senior statesmen and strategists at the China-sponsored International Forum on China and the World in the 21st Century.
The statement appeared to be a departure from China's earlier statements warning it would use force against Taiwan if the country delayed unification indefinitely.
Qian said the policy Beijing proposed for unifying with Taiwan would be "broader" than that for Hong Kong and Macau.
Taiwan would be able to main-tain its own government structure, military and currency, Qian said. It would also remain an independent customs zone and Beijing would not levy a single penny of taxes on Taiwan or send its officials to the country to take office.
"The way of living of the Taiwanese people will remain unchanged," he said.
"Taiwan entrepreneurs can keep their property and assets. Taiwan will have autonomous recruitment of their officials. The mainland government won't send officials to Taiwan."
But Qian reiterated Beijing's stance that Taiwan must accept the "one China" principle, under which Beijing defines Taiwan as an inseparable part of China.
He also said China could not give up the threat of force because this would "encourage Taiwan independence forces and will make peaceful unification impossible," although he didn't say under what circumstances military strength might be used.
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) has rejected Beijing's offer of "one country, two systems."
An official from the Mainland Affairs Council rejected the offer yesterday, saying it was not new.
"Why should we accept? The Republic of China is a sovereign state. Should we accept the offer? The ROC government would be relegated into a local government and that would be by no means acceptable," the official said.
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