President Chen Shui-bian's (
Chiou said yesterday that Taiwan has no choice but to practically adjust its cross-strait policies. Since March last year, when China established its "Anti-Secession" law, which is aimed at blocking Taiwanese moves toward independence, Taiwan has felt the negative impact of Beijing's animosity, and the pressure China puts on Taiwan is still increasing, Chiou said.
The effects of Chen's New Year address stressing tightened cross-strait policies continue to be felt. Criticism from the opposition focuses on the ruling party's reluctance to deal with cross-strait relations directly. However, in terms of the international situation, Chiou said Taiwan has been trapped in an increasingly challenging situation since China promulgated the "Anti-Secession" Law.
"The situation has become antagonistic. It's hard for us not to react to China's recent suppression and ever-harsher treatment of Taiwan in the international community," Chiou said.
Taking the prevention and control of SARS and bird flu as examples, Chiou said that China's moves to belittle Taiwan in the international community have been obvious.
Chiou said that the council has taken the passage of the "Anti-Secession" Law last year seriously and has evaluated its impacts on Taiwan.
However, to confuse the international community, Beijing deliberately invited the opposition leaders to China in May and opened its markets to fruit imports from Taiwan, he said.
"We know that Beijing would like to continue ignoring the popularly elected government. Beijing may think that the strategy is quite successful, but their lack of respect promoted President Chen to urge the Taiwanese people to ditch their fantasies about China," Chiou said.
Chiou said Beijing's contact with the opposition rather than the ruling party was designed to split the people of Taiwan. Chiou said that China's dealings with recent cross-strait issues, including the plan for Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) Director Chen Yunlin (
"If Beijing is waiting for 2008, the year the president is due to finish his term, then we now have to adjust our policies and consider things politically," Chiou said.
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