Beijing has asked Washington to abide by the one-China policy and to do more
to "benefit peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits".
Nationalist Party
legislator Liao Feng-teh (centre) screams as he fights with the ruling
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Lin Feng-hsi (right with
white hair) in a meeting room of the parliament building in Taipei, March
23, 2004. The tussle erupted when both parties discussed a recount
amendment following the "presidential election". [China Daily HK
Edition] |
Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing made the remark when he phoned US Secretary of
State Colin Powell on Sunday following the "presidential" election in Taiwan on
March 20.
Li called on Washington to do more for the development of relations between
the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said
Tuesday at a press conference.
Powell reiterated that Washington will abide by the one-China policy, Kong
said, adding that China has taken note of the US attitude on the current events
in Taiwan.
The United States has congratulated Taiwan for conducting an election which
resulted in Chen Shui-bian's victory. But it has yet to offer congratulations to
Chen personally.
"We must point out that the election in the Taiwan region is only a local
election of China," Kong said. "No matter what outcome it produced, it cannot
alter the fact that Taiwan is a part of China."
He said that China's only request is that the United States abide by the
policies made and reiterated time and again by itself, including the one-China
policy, the three Sino-US joint communiques, opposition to "Taiwan independence"
and to any attempt in words and deeds by the Taiwan authority to unilaterally
change the status quo of Taiwan and seek independence.
The spokesman went on to say that the international community has expressed
clear opposition to the current situation in Taiwan and China hopes the
international community could join hands to maintain peace and stability in the
region. "The crux of the matter is to abide by the one-China principle," he
said.
Xinhua News Agency had earlier accused Chen of trying to kidnap the will of
the island's people with this month's referendum, and said the vote's failure
exposed his "political fraud".
A commentary released on Monday said "the referendum on March 20 was a
political fraud meticulously designed by Chen, aiming to split the nation and
provoke relations between the two sides."
Chinese people worldwide have denounced the failed "referendum", saying that
the facts have proven that this illegal act plotted by Chen goes against the
will of most Taiwanese people, Xinhua reported yesterday.
It said any attempt to separate Taiwan from China will meet firm opposition.
In Taipei, Chen asked the parliament Tuesday to allow a recount of last
week's presidential ballot, but a row between his followers and the opposition
Nationalists delayed any decision.
Several thousand supporters of the Nationalists were still massed outside the
"presidential palace" Tuesday for a third day, vowing not to go home without a
recount of the vote.
Fists flew between ruling party and opposition lawmakers during the
parliament committee meeting needed to approve the proposal.
The proposed revision would trigger a recount if the margin of victory was
one per cent or below and could be applied retroactively to Saturday's poll,
which delivered a win to Chen by only 0.2 per cent.
The DPP, which said it introduced the proposal to seek an earlier resolution
to the political deadlock, accused opposition lawmakers of blocking its
progress.
