Chen says China 'afraid' to talk

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said yesterday that Taiwan will never accept Beijing's "one country, two systems," saying the real reason China's communist leaders refuse to negotiate with Taiwan is that "they lack confidence" and "are afraid of" rational dialogue.

"If we accept `one country, two systems,' the ROC will become a part of the PRC, then Taiwan will be swallowed up and disappear. That is something that not only we but also Taiwan's future generations will never accept," Chen told overseas Taiwanese in Paraguay.

Chen made his remarks during a luncheon at the Hotel Resort Casino Yacht and Golf Club, the same place former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) once famously criticized China's leaders saying "China's communists could never be tougher than my father" (中共再大，也沒有我老爸大) during a diplomatic tour four years ago.

Speaking in Hokkien, Chen said that all state presidents have a difficult job but "it is most difficult to be the president of the ROC."

He added that most presidents can go anywhere they choose and that "only Taiwan's president can't spend a night in New York very easily."

Later, when interviewed by Paraguayan media, Chen again urged China's leaders to reopen the dialogue with Taiwan.

"I sincerely expect to reopen the door of communication with Beijing," Chen said, "however, they only express a willingness to negotiate with their words while their hearts refuse to do so."

"The real reason is that they [China's leaders] are afraid of negotiating with us because they lack confidence -- all the other reasons they cite are just excuses," Chen added.

Chen also stressed that his visit to Latin America was not made in a bid to compete with China's President Jiang Zemin (江澤民), who just completed a South American tour last month.

"It is obvious that China's leaders have recently been endeavoring to develop their diplomatic relations," Chen said, "and Jiang's visit should be regarded as a common diplomatic function of a head of state. My visit is similar in nature."

The president and first lady Wu Shu-chen (吳淑珍) kept a tight schedule yesterday with 14 activities, including meeting with Paraguay's Vice President Julio Franco, who is a member of the country's opposition party. Chen and Paraguayan President Luis Gonzalez also signed a joint communique declaring the continued enhancement of bilateral relations.

Later Chen and his delegation departed from Paraguay's Asuncion international airport and flew toward Honduras, the last stop in Chen's 16-day tour of Latin America.