Lee Teng-hui shrugs off threats

Saying that barking dogs won't bite, former President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) yesterday played down a tough statement issued by China in which the Beijing administration vowed to "crush" Taiwanese independence moves" at any cost."

Lee responded to the statement issued by China's Taiwan Affairs Office just days before President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) is to be sworn in for a new four-year term.

In response to reporters' questions about what Taiwan's proper response should be to China's threat, Lee said: " Just keep quiet."

"Do you mean to ignore China's words?" one reporter asked.

"Just be quiet. Even if President Chen intends to respond, he should study the statement quietly," Lee said.

Presidential Office Spokesman James Huang (黃志芳) yesterday appealed to the public to remain calm as the stock market plummeted after China released the statement.

Taiwan's leaders must choose between recognizing their country as part of China or "following their separatist agenda to cut Taiwan from the rest of China and, in the end, meet their own destruction by playing with fire," the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council said in the statement.

The Presidential Office said yesterday that Chen will formally respond to Beijing's statement in his inauguration speech on Thursday.

A senior presidential office official familiar with cross-strait affairs, speaking on condition of anonymity, said yesterday the government will continue pursuing peace with China, but warned that cross-strait tensions could spin out of control due to China's military buildup.

The official pledged to work on practical cross-strait policies leading to peace.

The official, who is a key channel in Chen's communication with the US, said that although Taiwan, the US and China have different views about cross-strait affairs, the statement issued early yesterday morning placed considerable emphasis on settling disputes by peaceful means.

According to China's statement, resolving the issue peacefully was "the most pressing task" for both sides. The statement nevertheless lashed out at Chen for violating his "five noes" promises, "mustering all separatist forces to drive for Taiwan's independence" and bringing cross-strait relations "to the brink of danger."

China "will never tolerate Taiwan's independence" and insists dialogue is possible only if Taiwan accepts the "one China" principle, according to the statement.

The "one China" principle is a "central and tricky" issue, the presidential office official said.

"Taiwan and China have never been able to achieve consensus on this issue, chiefly because China cannot accept our status quo. It is very difficult to find a solution to this problem," the official said.

Solving the dilemma might take years, "but it does not mean all cross-strait affairs will have to stay where they are before the solution is hammered out," he said.

Taiwan and China should try to establish a framework for interaction in the interim period until a solution is found. However, the escalation of China's military power will make it increasingly difficult for both sides to keep interactions under control, the official said.

A lawmaker expected to join the government's decision-making body on cross-strait affairs, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said inventing "creatively ambiguous" definitions of the "one China" principle could help smooth out hurdles created by Beijing's Taiwan policy.