DATE=3/16/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA - TAIWAN  (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-260240
BYLINE=STEPHANIE MANN
DATELINE=BEIJING
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:


INTRO:  China is continuing its pressure on Taiwan 
voters not to choose a new president who advocates 
independence.  As V-O-A's Stephanie Mann reports from 
Beijing, leading Chinese specialists on the Taiwan 
question say the island's only option is reunification 
with the mainland. 

TEXT:  One of China's top policy makers on the Taiwan 
issue, Tang Shubei, says if Taiwan decides to become 
independent, China can no longer talk about peaceful 
reunification.  

Mr. Tang is vice-chairman of the Association for 
Relations Across the Taiwan Straits -- the Chinese 
government office that was conducting talks with 
Taiwan until they were put on hold last year. 

Mr. Tang told reporters in Beijing reunification can 
not be delayed indefinitely, but he acknowledged it 
may take some time.  

Mr. Tang said China will have no other choice, if 
Taiwan becomes independent in the meantime.  He did 
not specify what action China would take, but he 
repeated Premier Zhu Rongji's comment from a day 
earlier, that the Chinese people will use their blood 
to protect the territorial integrity of China.

Mr. Tang did not say how China will react if Taiwanese 
voters elect opposition candidate Chen Shui-bian in 
Saturday's presidential election.  He said China will 
take a wait-and-see approach. 

With less than two days before the election, reports 
from Taiwan indicate Mr. Chen is gaining support.  His 
party has advocated Taiwan's independence, although 
Mr. Chen has toned down that position during the 
election campaign.  

// OPT // Mr. Chen and the other two candidates - Lien 
Chan of the Nationalist Party and independent James 
Soong - all oppose reuniting with China under terms 
demanded by the mainland.  But Mr. Lien and Mr. Soong 
have never called for Taiwan's independence and are 
believed to be preferred by Beijing. // END OPT // 

In a recent White Paper on Taiwan, China said it would 
resort to force if Taiwan declares independence, if 
foreign forces interfere in Taiwan's reunification, or 
if Taiwan indefinitely delays negotiations on 
reunification. 

Thursday, the Chinese government arranged for academic 
specialists on the Taiwan issue to meet with 
reporters.  When asked about China's timetable for 
reunification, the academic specialists said that 
depends on the outcome of Saturday's election.  

They said reunification could take years.  But if 
Taiwan moves toward independence, the academics 
warned, China could shorten its deadline to just a 
matter of hours. 

At Thursday's regular Foreign Ministry briefing, 
spokesman Sun Yuxi said Taiwan's reunification with 
the mainland will be achieved at an early date 
because, he said, that is the aspiration of people on 
both sides of the Taiwan Straits.  Mr. Sun also called 
on the United States to refrain from doing anything 
that would obstruct reunification.  (SIGNED)

NEB/SMN/FC/PLM 



16-Mar-2000 05:35 AM EDT (16-Mar-2000 1035 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.