China responds to Chen's independence comments

China chastised President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday for his recent pro-independence comments, calling them a dangerous move that could cause further decay in ties between the two rivals.

Chen on Sunday told a pro-independence group that the nation should be independent and have a new constitution.

The comments were "a dangerous step forward," the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said in its first official response.

"It indicates that Chen wants to sacrifice the interests of the Taiwanese people," said the statement, which was read on state television's evening newscast.

"[Chen's] purpose cannot be achieved," it said. "China will continue to be committed to developing cross-straits relations but will never allow Taiwanese independence and secession and Taiwan's split from the motherland."

The statement came as China's top general said the nation's military would block any attempt by Taiwan to formalize its independence.

General Guo Boxiong (郭伯雄)said the People's Liberation Army (PLA) would respond to a declaration of independence and "effectively perform our glorious mission of safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity in accordance with the will of the motherland and the wishes of the people," the official Xinhua news agency reported.

It said Guo's comments were made at a discussion with military delegates to the national legislature on Monday.

Guo, a vice chairman of the government and Communist Party's Central Military Commission, ranks second only to Chairman Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), who is also China's president.

Guo also urged all PLA soldiers and officers to further "heighten [their] sense of responsibility and sense of urgency," and to make all-out efforts to "get well-prepared for military struggle," familiar exhortations that did not appear directed at recent events.

Just hours before Chen spoke on Sunday, China announced a 17.8 percent boost in its military spending, which is largely oriented toward Taiwan. The increase to 350 billion yuan (US$45 billion) was the biggest jump in more than a decade, although Washington believes the figure could be much higher.

The US, Taiwan's chief ally and military supplier, has said China faces no outside military threats. The US has questioned the reasons for the military buildup and called for greater transparency from the China's armed forces.

Chen's comments also drew a response from the US State Department, which reminded him of his pledges not to alter the status quo.

"Rhetoric that could raise doubts about these commitments is unhelpful," spokesman Sean McCormack said.

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