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China condemns US for congratulations to Chen

Beijing yesterday expressed displeasure at the US' congratulations to President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) on his re-election after issuing a strong warning on Friday night that it would intervene if Taiwan's post-election turmoil should spin out of control.

"Taiwan's Central Election Commission (CEC) on March 26 officially proclaimed that Mr. Chen Shui-bian has won re-election, and we congratulate Mr. Chen on his victory," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said on Friday.

Chinese foreign ministry spokes-man Kong Quan (孔泉) yesterday said that China firmly opposed the US sending congratulations to Chen after the CEC announcement.

Kong said the congratulations are a violation of the three joint China-US communique's, and constitute interference in China's internal affairs.

He urged the US to adhere to the "one China" policy.

A spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council said on Friday night that Beijing would not look on with indifference if the current situation in Taiwan were to worsen and spiral out of control.

The American Institute in Taiwan, on the other hand, issued a statement yesterday afternoon noting, "the US strongly condemns all acts of violence intended to disrupt the democratic process."

The US "supports the use of the established legal mechanisms for the peaceful resolution of any doubts about the outcome of the election," the statement read.

The Mainland Affairs Council expressed "strong displeasure" late Friday night in response to China's strongest comment to date about the results of Taiwan's disputed presidential election.

The Taiwan Affairs Office's remarks are "senseless criticism," the council said.

"The Republic of China is a law-abiding country. Election agencies do everything in accordance with the law. The police and justice units will handle the minority's demonstrations in accordance with the law," the Mainland Affairs Council said.

"Both sides share the responsibility of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. On our side, we have been committed to maintaining stability and have never intervened in the internal affairs of the People's Republic of China," the council said.

Condemning Beijing's criticism as "rude interference" in Taiwan's internal affairs, the council said that China's attempts to look for excuses to trigger cross-strait conflicts will end in vain.

China's behavior would only strengthen the Taiwanese people's solidarity, while casting the PRC in a contemptible light, the council said.

Su Chi (蘇起), former Mainland Affairs Council chairman and senior policy advisor to the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), said yesterday the Taiwan Affairs Office's statement was "surprising" and urged Beijing to keep its hands off Taiwan's election.

"Taiwan's election is an internal matter. We hope China can maintain its pre-election attitude towards Taiwan," Su said.

The KMT-People First Party (PFP) alliance would not like to see China or the US interfering in Taiwan's internal affairs, Su said.

Asked whether the blue camp should ask its supporters to rein in their demonstrations after China's warning to intervene, Su noted the demonstrations were all legal.

According to Chang Wu-yen (張五岳), a professor at the Institute of China Studies at Tamkang University, the Taiwan Affairs Office's statement on Friday was an initial sign that Beijing had adjusted its Taiwan policy from silence before the election to a willingness to intervene.

The Taiwan Affairs Office's statement showed that Beijing held a negative attitude towards Taiwan's democratic development, Chang said.

The demonstrations following the election have revealed internal conflicts in Taiwan, and Beijing apparently wants to use this opportunity to exert its influence over Taiwan, he said.

In order to suppress growing appeals for democracy in Hong Kong, as well as in China itself, the Beijing authorities have ordered state media institutions to extensively report on Taiwan's post-election turmoil, Chang said.
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