Chen's latest peace overtures "deceptive talk" (China Daily by Xing Zhigang) Updated: 2004-02-11 21:52
With less than 40 days to go before Taiwan's "presidential" elections,
Beijing Wednesday rejected the island leader's latest peace overtures as
"deceptive talk."
 Zhang Mingqing, spokesman
with the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.
[newsphoto/file]
| On February 3,
Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian proposed a so-called "peace and stability
framework" across the Straits in a bid to ease mounting pressure over his
referendum plan.
Under the framework, he called on Beijing to set up a demilitarized zone,
swap special envoys and establish liaison offices between the two sides.
Chen's new proposals came weeks after he threatened a "holy war" against the
mainland.
Zhang Mingqing, spokesman with the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State
Council, lashed out at Chen for his obstinate drive towards a "defensive
referendum" on March 20 to be held alongside the "presidential" polls.
He pointed out the referendum plan is meant to provoke a confrontation across
the Straits, sabotage relations and undermine cross-Straits peace.
"So his proposal for the so-called peace and stability framework is
apparently aimed at cheating the Taiwanese public and international opinion,"
Zhang told a regular press conference.
He argued Chen has failed to demonstrate any sincere wishes to improve
bilateral ties and safeguard cross-Straits peace since he took power in May
2000.
That's because the Taiwan leader has been refusing to accept the one-China
principle, which is the basis for stabilizing and developing cross-Straits
relations, according to Zhang.
The spokesman said no matter how hard Chen tries to defend and package his
referendum plan, his "evil attempt to pave the way for a future plebiscite on
independence" cannot be covered up.
"We hope our Taiwan compatriots and the international community see through
the deceitfulness of Chen Shui-bian and the danger of risky pro-independence
activities," he said.
At the press briefing, Han Yusheng, deputy director of the Exit and Entry
Bureau under the Ministry of Public Security also announced five measures to
simplify procedures for across-Straits personnel exchanges.
He said the new package, which aims to make it convenient for Taiwan
residents to come to and reside on the mainland, will be phased in as soon as
possible.
The proposed methods include:
* Extending the visa period for mainland residents to visit Taiwan;
* Authorizing the Fujian Provincial Department of Public Security to grant
five-year travel documents to Taiwan residents;
* Expanding the scope for granting long-term residence permits and
multi-entry travel documents to Taiwan residents;
* Simplifying procedures for granting long-term residence permits to
Taiwanese businessmen, senior Taiwanese management personnel and their family
members as well as Taiwanese residents who study and work on the mainland;
* And providing one-year multi-entry travel documents for Taiwanese
businessmen and those from the tourism, civil aviation and shipping industries.
Taiwan travellers paid a total of more than 3.66 million visits to the
mainland in 2002 and 2.73 million last year, according to official
statistics.
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