www.globeandmail.com News Books Careers Mutual Funds Stocks ROB Mag ROBTv Tech Wheels
Home  |  Business  |  National  |  International  |  Sports  |  Features  |  Arts  |  Forums  |  Subscribe

The Globe and Mail
Monday, May 22
leaf

7-Day Search
space

Tips | What Can I Search?
onvia.com

Contents
bulletFull Site Index
Click for a detailed list of everything on the site.


Main Sections
bulletReport on Business
bulletNational
bulletInternational
bulletSports
bulletGlobe Review
bulletFeatures
bulletComment
bulletFocus
bulletBooks
bulletClassifieds
space
Other Sections
bulletTravel
bulletReal Estate
bulletHealth
bulletScience
bulletTechnology
bulletEnvironment
bulletEducation
bulletObituaries
bulletBirths & Deaths
bulletToronto News
space
Specials & Series
bulletBudget 2000
bulletFamily Matters
bulletHomelessness
space
Entertainment
bulletCartoon
bulletCrosswords
bulletHoroscopes
bulletTV Listings
space
bulletFood & Dining
space
NorstarMall.ca

Chapters.ca
Current Markets
Enter Canadian or U.S. stock symbol(s) or market index:
 
Stock symbol lookup

Sponsored by:
HSBC InvestDirect


TSE 300 9293.1
DJIA -217.95 10408.90
S&P500 -27.64 1379.31
Nasdaq -197.1 3193.3
CDNX 3410.3
FTSE100 -47 5998
Nikkei -472.2 16386.0
HSeng -337 14141
DJ Net -21.39 230.42
Delayed 20 minutes. Help.
Services
bulletFull Services Index
Click for a detailed list of everything on the site.


bulletAdvertise: Newspaper
bulletAdvertise: Web Sites
bulletCustomer Service
bulletCorrections
bulletFree Headlines
bulletHelp & Contact Us
bulletMake Us Home
bulletPrivacy Policy
bulletReprints
bulletSubscriptions
bulletWhat's New

Globe Web Centre
bulletNews: globeandmail.com
bulletBooks: chaptersglobe.com
bulletCareers: globecareers.com
bulletMutual Funds: globefund.com
bulletStocks: globeinvestor.com
bulletROB Magazine: robmagazine.com
bulletROBTv:       robtv.com
bulletTechnology: globetechnology
bulletWheels: globemegawheels
 
Search Results

Taiwan's new leader softens stand toward Communist mainland
Statement on delaying independence likely
to ease relations with Chinese authorities

MIRO CERNETIG
China Bureau; With a report from Associated Press
Monday, May 22, 2000

Beijing -- Seeking to calm rival Beijing, Taiwan's new President has promised not to declare independence from China -- so long as Communist China does not threaten to invade the island of 22 million people.

The statement by Chen Shui-bian, who was installed as Taiwan's President on Saturday, is likely to ease relations between Beijing and Taipei, at least temporarily.

It was less than the endorsement of the one-China principle that China wanted to hear from the new leader of Taiwan, but not the outright independence rhetoric that Beijing feared from a man who once yelled, "Long live Taiwan independence."

"As long as the Chinese Communist Party regime has no intention to use military force against Taiwan, I pledge that during my term in office I will not declare independence," Mr. Chen said in his inaugural speech, which was viewed as a major statement outlining his policy toward reunification with China.

Mr. Chen, whose Democratic Party has supported independence, did not remove his support from the 1991 National Reunification Guidelines, which represent a process for reunifying China and Taiwan. It declares that "both the mainland and Taiwan areas are parts of Chinese territory."

The reaction to Mr. Chen's speech from China, whose leadership has made taking back Taiwan a major political issue, was muted. On the streets of Beijing in recent days, soldiers have been seen drilling with unloaded guns. And the government has shown little sign of moving back on its hard-line message that Taiwan must adhere to the one-China policy, and faces invasion if it dares to deviate by declaring independence.

"If anyone dares to try to split Taiwan from China, he will bear historical responsibility for causing a resumption of China's civil war," the Xinhua News Agency warned.

Beijing added that Mr. Chen "avoided the crucial issue of accepting the one-China policy; the attitude is evasive and vague."

But Mr. Chen's speech presented no new moves toward independence. He simply said that "both sides possess enough wisdom and creativity to jointly deal with the question of a future 'one China.' "

Although Taiwan has developed into a free-wheeling democracy, most Western countries, including Canada, take the position that it is part of "one China" and must peacefully return to Beijing's control.

The United States, which has recently refused pressure to take an active role in negotiating between Taipei and Beijing, praised Mr. Chen for holding out the opportunity for more talks between the two sides, which have been split since the Communist Revolution in 1949, when anti-Communists fled to Taiwan.

"We congratulate Mr. Chen Shui-bian on his inauguration in Taiwan," White House spokesman David Stockwell said.

"His election and the smooth transition demonstrated clearly the strength and vitality of Taiwan's democracy. Mr. Chen's election and inauguration provide a fresh opportunity for Taiwan and the People's Republic of China to reach out and resolve their differences peacefully."

Mr. Chen said yesterday he would seriously consider ending a five-decade-long ban on direct air and shipping links with China, which is separated from his island by the 125-kilometre-wide Taiwan Strait.

The ban on direct links has been in effect since the Communists took control of the mainland in 1949. Since then, Taiwan has been reluctant to allow direct links, fearing they would compromise the island's security.

The numerous Taiwanese businesses that trade with the mainland are also eager for the law to be changed.

 
Noteworthy
The Globe wins four top prizes
Stackhouse honoured twice, for international reporting and for series on the homeless.
Family Matters
Story & discussion: What makes a happy family?
Discussion Forums
bullet Sierra Meltdown
Should Canada commit troops to Sierra Leone?

[ Join In ]
globeandmail.com

bullet Sex, Work and Stress
Do you agree with the survey results? How stressed out are you?

[ Join In ]
globeandmail.com

bullet Losing Local News
What do you think of the new proposed cutbacks at the CBC? Is the CBC your only source for local news?

[ Join In ]
globeandmail.com

bullet Bill 11
Alberta's private health-care bill. Should private clinics to be paid public funds to perform some medical procedures?

[ Join In ]
globeandmail.com


bullet E-trepreneurs
If you are an Internet entrepreneur, this is the place for networking. Ask and answer questions, post suggestions, or just read the comments of others.

[ Join In ]
globetechnology.com

bullet The state of the environment in Canada
Are ideological abstractions making us counterproductive?

[ Join In ]
chaptersglobe.com

bullet Battle of the Sexes
Are gender relations strained at work?

[ Join In ]
workopolis.com

bullet Labour-sponsored Funds
Labour-sponsored funds are in the spotlight again. Are they worth the hype?

[ Join In ]
globefund.com

Weather
Calgary 18 Partly Cloudy
Charlottetown 18 Partly Cloudy
Edmonton 17 Partly Cloudy
Fredericton 19 Partly Cloudy
Halifax 17 Partly Cloudy
Iqaluit -4 Sunny
London 20 Partly Cloudy
Montreal 19 Partly Cloudy
Ottawa 19 Partly Cloudy
Prince George 13 Rain
Quebec 19 Partly Cloudy
Regina 20 Partly Cloudy
Saint John 16 Partly Cloudy
St. John's 10 Partly Cloudy
Saskatoon 20 Rain
Sault Ste Marie 18 Rain
Thunder Bay 17 Partly Cloudy
Toronto 18 Partly Cloudy
Vancouver 13 Rain
Victoria 14 Rain
Whitehorse 10 Rain
Windsor 21 Rain
Winnipeg 20 Partly Cloudy
Yellowknife 15 Partly Cloudy

Morning Smile
If you must chose between two evils, pick the one you've never tried before.
- Arnie Lind, Regina

Help & Contact Us | Copyright © 2000 Globe Interactive | Back to the top of this page

Home  |  Business  |  National  |  International  |  Sports  |  Features  |  Review  |  Forums  |  Subscribe