DATE=12/2/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-223515

TITLE=CHINA / TAIWAN / L-O

BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON

DATELINE=BEIJING

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  CHINA HAS WARNED TAIWAN IT WILL NOT RULE OUT THE USE OF 

FORCE, IF THE ISLAND MAKES ANY MOVE TOWARD INDEPENDENCE.  AS WE 

HEAR FROM V-O-A'S  ROGER WILKISON IN BEIJING, THE WARNING FROM 

CHINA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY CAME AFTER A PRO-SEPARATIST PARTY 

EMERGED VICTORIOUS IN TAIWAN'S LOCAL ELECTIONS.



TEXT:  FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN TANG GUOQIANG TOLD REPORTERS 

CHINA STILL HOPES FOR PEACEFUL REUNIFICATION WITH THE ISLAND IT 

REGARDS AS A  RENEGADE PROVINCE.  BUT, HE SAYS BEIJING WILL 

OPPOSE ANY ATTEMPT ON THE PART OF PRO-INDEPENDENCE ELEMENTS IN 

TAIWAN TO -- IN HIS WORDS -- SPLIT THE ISLAND FROM THE 

MOTHERLAND. 



MR. TANG'S REMARKS FOLLOW THE VICTORY OF TAIWAN'S DEMOCRATIC 

PROGRESSIVE PARTY IN SATURDAY'S LOCAL ELECTIONS.  THE D-P-P -- 

MANY OF WHOSE LEADERS HAVE VOICED PRO-INDEPENDENCE SENTIMENTS -- 

STUNNED THE RULING NATIONALISTS BY WINNING 12 OF THE 23 MAYORAL 

AND COUNTY MAGISTRATE RACES AT STAKE.  THE PARTY PLEDGED TO AVOID

CONFRONTATION WITH CHINA.  STILL, BEIJING MADE IT CLEAR THAT IT 

DOES NOT RULE OUT THE USE OF FORCE, IF PRO-INDEPENDENCE FORCES 

TRY TO CREATE WHAT MR. TANG CALLED A NEW SITUATION.



            /////TANG (IN CHINESE) IN AND UNDER/////



THE SPOKESMAN SAYS CHINA'S RELUCTANCE TO RENOUNCE THE USE OF 

FORCE IS NOT AIMED AT WHAT HE DESCRIBES AS TAIWAN COMPATRIOTS.  

HE SAYS THE TARGET IS FOREIGNERS WHO MEDDLE IN CHINA'S INTERNAL 

AFFAIRS AND AT FORCES ADVOCATING INDEPENDENCE FOR TAIWAN.



SUCH RHETORIC IS NOT NEW.  THE FOREIGNERS IN QUESTION ARE USUALLY

TAKEN TO  MEAN THE UNITED STATES, WHICH HAS ARMED TAIWAN, DESPITE

RECOGNIZING BEIJING AS CHINA'S ONLY GOVERNMENT.



THE PRO-INDEPENDENCE ELEMENTS MR. TANG CRITICIZED ARE THOSE 

LEADERS OF THE D-P-P WHO WANT TO DECLARE TAIWAN'S FORMAL 

INDEPENDENCE, AFTER NEARLY FIVE DECADES OF THE ISLAND'S DE FACTO 

SEPARATION FROM THE MAINLAND.  OTHER PARTY LEADERS HAVE SOUGHT TO

SOFT-PEDAL THE ISSUE IN FAVOR OF LOCAL TAIWANESE CONCERNS, SUCH 

AS FIGHTING CRIME.



// OPT //  MR. TANG SAYS THE RESULTS OF TAIWAN'S ELECTIONS CANNOT

CHANGE WHAT HE CALLS THE BASIC FACT TAIWAN IS A PROVINCE OF 

CHINA.  // END OPT //



BEIJING HAS LONG SHUNNED THE D-P-P.  HOWEVER, AN ARTICLE IN THE 

OFFICIAL "CHINA DAILY" TUESDAY QUOTES A SPOKESMAN FOR THE 

GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT HANDLES RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN AS SAYING 

COUNTY AND CITY GOVERNMENTS ON THE ISLAND -- MANY OF WHICH ARE 

CONTROLLED BY THE D-P-P -- SHOULD DO MORE TO DEVELOP CROSS-STRAIT

RELATIONS.  (SIGNED) 



NEB / CB / WD 







02-Dec-97 7:00 AM EST (1200 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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