DATE=12/20/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=MACAU/TAIWAN REACT (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-257314
BYLINE=DERRICK MCELHERON
DATELINE=TAIPEI
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:


INTRO: Taiwan has rejected predictions by Chinese 
president Jiang Zemin, during Macau's hand-over 
celebrations Monday, that the island will soon 
become the next territory to be reunified with 
the mainland. As Derrick McElheron reports from 
Taipei, the island's politicians say Taiwan is 
fundamentally different from Macau or Hong Kong.

TEXT: Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council quickly 
downplayed any chance of early reunification 
talks with Beijing.  During the Macau handover, 
Chinese President Jiang Zemin commented that the 
question of Taiwan would be dealt with soon.

In his speech, President Jiang said the "one 
country, two systems" approach used in Hong Kong  
is a huge success.  Mr. Jiang says the model -- 
which grants the former British colony a high 
degree of autonomy -- will be followed when 
Taiwan is reunified with the mainland. 

But cross-strait relations officials here in 
Taiwan say that would be a step backwards for a 
democratic society like Taiwan, even though it 
might look like a step forward for mainland 
China.

Paris Chiang, an opposition D-P-P party 
legislator says "one-country-two systems" does 
not appeal to the people of Taiwan.

            /// ACT CHIANG ///

We don't believe that "one country-two systems" 
works very well even in Hong Kong.  In the past 
two years Hong Kong's economic condition and 
freedom of the press and civil rights of the 
people have gone down. And I don't believe that 
China has set a good example about the governing 
of Hong Kong.

            /// END ACT ///

Mr. Chiang also says that unlike Macau and Hong 
Kong, which were both former colonies, Taiwan is 
an independent nation with a democratically 
elected government.

Still, most analysts in Taiwan agree that with 
Hong Kong and Macau now reunified with the 
mainland, pressure from Beijing will begin to 
intensify.

The analysts say just how much pressure Beijing 
is prepared to exert will best be gauged in the 
aftermath of Taiwan's presidential election, 
which is scheduled for this March.

NEB/DM/FC 



20-Dec-1999 01:14 AM EDT (20-Dec-1999 0614 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.