Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) yesterday urged China to show its sincerity to Taiwan by removing all missiles targeting the nation and also assist Taiwan's bid to enter the WHO next year instead of just playing a double-edged strategy to cheat the people of Taiwan.
"On the one hand, Beijing's leaders expressed their goodwill with gentler words during the Communist Party's 16th National Congress," Lu said during a news conference to comment on Jiang's speech about Taiwan.
PHOTO: CHEN CHENG-CHANG, TAIPEI TIMES
"But on the other hand, China's military has launched more military exercises to threaten Taiwanese," Lu said.
Lu stressed that Jiang's speech at the National Congress adopted two conditions to attract Taiwan into accepting unification with China.
"Jiang may expect that his speech can persuade those businessmen who rely on trade interests in China's markets and politicians who dream to share power with Beijing leaders," Lu said.
"But I have to say that people living in Taiwan must seriously consider why 23 million Taiwanese have to pay the price for implementing a policy which only benefits a few people?" she said.
Noting that her remarks also represent President Chen Shui-bian's (
She said that Jiang's report showed that China's fourth-generation leaders will be under greater pressure to solve the so-called "Taiwan question" and therefore Jiang purposely showed a gentler attitude toward Taiwan than he did during the Communist Party's previous two national congresses in 1992 and 1997.
"Here we reiterate our appeal: On the basis of the `one China' principle, let us shelve for now certain political disputes and resume cross-strait dialogue and negotiations as soon as possible," Jiang said.
"The Taiwan question must not be allowed to drag on indefinitely."
Commenting on Jiang's "play soft" strategy, Lu also indicated that the people of Taiwan should be aware that "Beijing refused to contact Taiwan's leaders but stressed its willingness to talk with all parties and private bodies."
"Beijing clearly wants to deny the existence of Taiwan's current authority," she said.
Lu said that Jiang's "play soft" strategy showed by his three assurances, including the "one China" principle, Taiwan retaining its current social system and autonomy after unification, whereby Taiwan can share the right to rule the country with those in China.
"All assurances are framed by the `one China' principle and the `one country, two systems' policy," Lu said, "which downgrades Taiwan from a country to a local government."
Displaying a confidential military map of China's forces sailing along Taiwan's eastern coast, she asked Jiang to match his words with deeds.
"I ask President Jiang to aggressively stop those military exercises or remove all missiles deployed around its South-Eastern coast aimed at Taiwan," Lu said.
"Moreover, China should promise to help Taiwan's bid of entering the WHO," she said.
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