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Chen to appear at 'Anti-Secession' Law relay in Tainan

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) will attend a march relay in Tainan County today to kick off a 10-day event marking the third anniversary of China's "Anti-Secession" Law and solicit support for his party's UN referendum.

The "Anti-Secession" Law was passed on March 14, 2005 by the Chinese government to justify for the use of "non-peaceful means" against Taiwan if all possibility of unification has been exhausted.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has proposed holding a referendum on joining the UN using the name "Taiwan," while the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has initiated another referendum on rejoining the world body using the country's official name -- the Republic of China (ROC), or any other "practical" title.

Both referendums are slated to be held in conjunction with the March 22 presidential election.

NEGOTIATIONS

Chen said on Wednesday that he would hold cross-party negotiations on separating the referendums on UN membership from the presidential election if the KMT is willing to amend the Referendum Law (公投法) to lower the voting threshold for referendum results to be considered valid.

Tainan County Commissioner Su Huan-chih (蘇煥智), who doubles as the director of the DPP's Tainan campaign office and initiator of the relay, announced yesterday that the march will begin in Shanhua Township (善化), Tainan County at 8am.

Su said the marchers planned to walk through the county's 31 townships and villages -- a distance of 228km -- in 10 days to drum up support for the referendum on applying for UN membership under the name "Taiwan."

Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文), the director of the DPP's Tainan County chapter, said Chen would attend the event today and planned to spend two hours walking 7km.

NORTH KOREA

In related news, North Korea has denounced Taiwan's bid for UN membership, saying it would fuel tension in Northeast Asia.

"Such action of the Taiwan authorities is a grave one to strain the situation in the Taiwan Straits [sic] and in Northeast Asia," a foreign ministry spokesman told the Korean Central News Agency late on Saturday.

He said that Pyongyang would support Beijing's "one China" policy, reiterating its opposition to "Taiwan's bid to enter the UN in any form."

China is a key ally and major aid doner to North Korea.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY AFP
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