- Chinese President Jiang Zemin called for direct links
to be reopened with Taiwan but refused to rule out the use of force to
retake the island, saying the threat was aimed at interfering "foreign
forces".
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- "Our position of never undertaking to renounce the
use of force is not directed at our Taiwan compatriots," Jiang said
in speech to open the Communist Party's 16th Congress on Friday morning.
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- "It is aimed at the foreign forces' attempts to
interfere in China's reunification and the Taiwan separatist forces' schemes
for 'Taiwan independence," he said.
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- He also called forthe opening of mutual links that have
remained broken for five decades.
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- "As the direct links of mail, air and shipping services,
and trade across the Taiwan Straits serve the common interests of the compatriots
on both sides, there is every reason to take practical and positive steps
to promote such direct links," Jiang said.
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- In a swift reaction, Taiwan urged Chinese leaders to
recognize the existence of the island as a country, asking Beijing to cease
its threats of military action.
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- "We urge mainland authorities to face the reality
that the Republic of China exists," said Chen Ming-tong, vice chairman
of the cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council, using the official name
of the island.
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- Analysts said that despite talk of direct links, China
would want to achieve this in a way that would not boost the position of
Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian, who leads a pro-independence party.
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- Jiang reiterated an oft-repeated offer of dialogue, but
again stressed the crucial condition of the one-China principle, which
says both the mainland and Taiwan belong to the same nation.
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- "On the basis of the one-China principle, let us
shelve for now certain political disputes and resume the cross-strait dialogue
and negotiations as soon as possible," he said.
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