DATE=2/21/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA-TAIWAN (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258388
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:


INTRO:  China has warned Taiwan that, if it continues 
its refusal to negotiate the island's reunification 
with the mainland, Beijing will be compelled to take 
drastic measures, including the use of force.  VOA 
correspondent Roger Wilkison reports the new warning 
comes in a so-called white paper released Monday, less 
than a month before Taiwan's presidential elections. 

TEXT:  The 11-thousand word document was issued by the 
Cabinet and the Chinese government's Taiwan Affairs 
Office.  Essentially, the message to the Taiwanese is: 
negotiate reunification or face the possibility of 
war.

China has always said it will attack Taiwan if the 
island declares formal independence.  But now it is 
telling the Taiwanese that if they continue to resist 
Beijing's overtures for reunification, resort to force 
is not out of the question.

The white paper says force would be the last option.  
But in a sign that China's leadership is worried about 
growing separatist sentiment on the island, the 
document warns that -- if Taiwan continues to deny 
that it is part of China -- the premise for peaceful 
reunification will cease to exist.

Entitled "The One China Principle and the Taiwan 
Issue", the white paper singles out Taiwanese 
President Lee Teng-hui, as the main promoter of 
separatism.  It also blames so-called foreign forces -
- meaning the United States -- for obstructing 
reunification.

It says proposals by some Taiwanese politicians that a 
referendum be held to decide the island's future is a 
non-starter.  It argues that, since Taiwan is part of 
China and not a foreign colony, self-determination is 
not an issue.  Besides -- it implies -- if such an 
exercise were to be held, the people of all of China 
should take part and not just those in what it calls a 
certain area of the country.  And it says there is no 
parallel between the China-Taiwan equation and the 
existence of two German states after World War Two, 
because the division across the straits arose as the 
consequence of a civil war and not an international 
conflict.

The document warns Washington to limit its support for 
Taiwan and not to stand in the way of reunification.  
At the time of Taiwan's last presidential election 
four years ago, Beijing fired missiles into waters off 
the island.  Washington responded by sending warships 
into the area.

The policy paper says that, as long as Taiwan abides 
by the one-China principle, the two sides can discuss 
anything.  It calls Taiwan's insistence that China 
should become a democracy before the island can 
consider reunification, an excuse for delaying 
reunification.  The document says Beijing is willing 
to offer Taiwan autonomy far beyond the scope of what 
it has given Hong Kong and Macau.  (signed)


NEB/RW/GC/FC 



21-Feb-2000 06:43 AM EDT (21-Feb-2000 1143 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.