QUOTE
President Chen Shui-bian yesterday said Taiwan's trade and economic policies relating to China would not be adjusted as a result of Saturday's elections, back pedalling on a fiery speech he made a day earlier.
"The government's cross-strait economic and trade policies have a basic sequence that will not be adjusted on the basis of election results," Chen said in Panchiao at a breakfast to support his ruling party's candidate for Taipei county, Luo Wen-chia.
A day earlier Chen threatened to install more restrictive China policies if the opposition won a large majority of seats in Saturday's' elections for town and county chiefs. Chen at the time was responding to his archrival opposition Kuomintang (KMT) leader Ma Ying-jeou, who claimed the government would be forced to adopt more liberal China policies if the opposition was victorious Saturday.
Justifying his abrupt about-face, Chen said "media figures and politicians" who touted Ma's argument were trying to manipulate issues for their political advantage.
He also said an opposition win could encourage opposition legislators to pass laws authorizing closer relations with China, in a reference to a People First Party-backed draft law. The ruling party says the PFP's cross-strait peace promotion bill will topple the authority of the government's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC).
"The opposition will push for Taiwan's version of an 'anti-secession law', or a law authorizing surrender," Chen said.
"This is a life and death struggle for Taiwan," he declared.
Chen said China policy would only become more restrictive if the opposition passed these kinds of pro-China laws.
"I will never permit the enactment of a law authorizing surrender," Chen said.
"If that day ever comes, cross-strait trade and economic policies will not be liberalized further and instead become more restrictive."
The president argued that opposition wins did nothing to aid relations with China. He said after the opposition won a majority in the legislature last year, China passed its anti-secession law -- authorizing the use of force if Taiwan were to move towards independence.
"China...ignored strong opposition from the U.S., Japan and European Union," Chen said.
Taiwan's top China policy maker, MAC chairman Joseph Wu also warned if the PFP was encouraged by an opposition win to pass its "cross-strait peace promotion bill" it would create domestic instability and harm relations with China.
Speaking at a forum organized by the ROC Friends of Hong Kong and Macau Association, Wu said that the opposition's win in the legislative elections last year encouraged China to pass the anti-secession law.
"Nothing improved (with China), despite (opposition) claims to the contrary," Wu said.
Wu said a sweeping opposition win on Saturday could encourage opposition law makers to adopt more moves to boycott and override government directives, which would have a negative influence on political stability and relations with China.
Besides the PFP's cross-strait peace promotion bill, Wu said, "there could be even more radical moves. Of course these would be extremely disadvantageous to cross-strait relations."
Wu said governmental China policy had its continuity with basic principles of good will and reconciliation, positive cooperation and everlasting peace."
He said peace with China should be based on a domestic consensus within Taiwan rather than measures such as legislative boycotts of the government.
"Taiwan is not willing to get into a military confrontation with China and does not want to play a 'zero sum' diplomatic game," Wu said.
"We hope there will be further opportunities for contact, talks and dialogue with China," Wu said.
The MAC chairman said the government was working on setting up direct passenger and cargo flights and letting Chinese tourists come to Taiwan.
"Although we haven't seen any concrete results yet, we are asking Taiwan's people to have faith in the government," Wu said.
Meanwhile Chen's ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP's) director of mainland affairs Tung Li-wen said visits to China by former KMT leader Lien Chan, PFP leader James Soong and other opposition delegations had made Beijing more oppressive towards Taiwan.
He referred to China's squeezing of Taiwan's diplomatic space and pressure on China-based Taiwan business executives who supported Taiwan independence.
"The opposition is aiding China to use business to put pressure on politics.. and bring about the 'Hong Kongization' of Taiwan," Tung said.
"It is aiding China to infiltrate Taiwan," he said.
Tung accused the opposition of crippling Taiwan by boycotting governmental budgets and stirring up anti-Japanese and anti-American sentiments.
"The government's cross-strait economic and trade policies have a basic sequence that will not be adjusted on the basis of election results," Chen said in Panchiao at a breakfast to support his ruling party's candidate for Taipei county, Luo Wen-chia.
A day earlier Chen threatened to install more restrictive China policies if the opposition won a large majority of seats in Saturday's' elections for town and county chiefs. Chen at the time was responding to his archrival opposition Kuomintang (KMT) leader Ma Ying-jeou, who claimed the government would be forced to adopt more liberal China policies if the opposition was victorious Saturday.
Justifying his abrupt about-face, Chen said "media figures and politicians" who touted Ma's argument were trying to manipulate issues for their political advantage.
He also said an opposition win could encourage opposition legislators to pass laws authorizing closer relations with China, in a reference to a People First Party-backed draft law. The ruling party says the PFP's cross-strait peace promotion bill will topple the authority of the government's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC).
"The opposition will push for Taiwan's version of an 'anti-secession law', or a law authorizing surrender," Chen said.
"This is a life and death struggle for Taiwan," he declared.
Chen said China policy would only become more restrictive if the opposition passed these kinds of pro-China laws.
"I will never permit the enactment of a law authorizing surrender," Chen said.
"If that day ever comes, cross-strait trade and economic policies will not be liberalized further and instead become more restrictive."
The president argued that opposition wins did nothing to aid relations with China. He said after the opposition won a majority in the legislature last year, China passed its anti-secession law -- authorizing the use of force if Taiwan were to move towards independence.
"China...ignored strong opposition from the U.S., Japan and European Union," Chen said.
Taiwan's top China policy maker, MAC chairman Joseph Wu also warned if the PFP was encouraged by an opposition win to pass its "cross-strait peace promotion bill" it would create domestic instability and harm relations with China.
Speaking at a forum organized by the ROC Friends of Hong Kong and Macau Association, Wu said that the opposition's win in the legislative elections last year encouraged China to pass the anti-secession law.
"Nothing improved (with China), despite (opposition) claims to the contrary," Wu said.
Wu said a sweeping opposition win on Saturday could encourage opposition law makers to adopt more moves to boycott and override government directives, which would have a negative influence on political stability and relations with China.
Besides the PFP's cross-strait peace promotion bill, Wu said, "there could be even more radical moves. Of course these would be extremely disadvantageous to cross-strait relations."
Wu said governmental China policy had its continuity with basic principles of good will and reconciliation, positive cooperation and everlasting peace."
He said peace with China should be based on a domestic consensus within Taiwan rather than measures such as legislative boycotts of the government.
"Taiwan is not willing to get into a military confrontation with China and does not want to play a 'zero sum' diplomatic game," Wu said.
"We hope there will be further opportunities for contact, talks and dialogue with China," Wu said.
The MAC chairman said the government was working on setting up direct passenger and cargo flights and letting Chinese tourists come to Taiwan.
"Although we haven't seen any concrete results yet, we are asking Taiwan's people to have faith in the government," Wu said.
Meanwhile Chen's ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP's) director of mainland affairs Tung Li-wen said visits to China by former KMT leader Lien Chan, PFP leader James Soong and other opposition delegations had made Beijing more oppressive towards Taiwan.
He referred to China's squeezing of Taiwan's diplomatic space and pressure on China-based Taiwan business executives who supported Taiwan independence.
"The opposition is aiding China to use business to put pressure on politics.. and bring about the 'Hong Kongization' of Taiwan," Tung said.
"It is aiding China to infiltrate Taiwan," he said.
Tung accused the opposition of crippling Taiwan by boycotting governmental budgets and stirring up anti-Japanese and anti-American sentiments.