Polls consistently show an majority of the Taiwanese people prefer to maintain a self-governing status and reject Beijing's offer of autonomy based on the Hong Kong model.
The premier declined to pass judgment on the ongoing leadership shuffle in China, saying it is a domestic concern of another country. He added that the defense ministry has been keeping a close eye on military maneuvers across the Strait.
In addition, Mainland Affairs Council Vice Chairman Chen Ming-tong (
"We expect that China's new leadership can deal with cross-strait relations with a pragmatic attitude. They should face the fact of the ROC's existence and establish constructive and cooperative relations with Taiwan," Chen said in a news conference yesterday.
He said that the PRC and the ROC do not belong to each other and cannot represent each other. "This is a fact. If China can't face this fact, it won't help the two sides develop positive relations," Chen said.
He also pointed out that military force could not resolve problems with historical roots.
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