Taiwan president rejects 'one China' principle

10 October 2003, 18:00 PM

AFP, Taipei

President Chen Shui-bian said yesterday that Taiwan would not be forced into accepting the "one China" principle and called on Beijing to withdraw its military threat against the island. Addressing a National Day rally, Chen disputed claims Taiwan would have a greater presence on the international stage if it accepted the "one China" principle.

"Only those who do not believe in themselves and do not believe in Taiwan will succumb to hegemony, make concessions for peace, or try to convince us that China's military intimidation and impervious coercion compels us to accept the so-called 'one China' principle," Chen said.

Taipei has repeatedly rejected Beijing's "one China" principle, which regards the island as part of its territory waiting to be unified by force if necessary.

"If we compromise our stance on sovereignty and relinquish our existing democracy and freedom, we will waive our right to join international organisations, and it will be impossible for us to ever have a voice in the global community," Chen said.

Chen, concurrently the head of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), also dismissed adopting China's "one country, two systems" mechanism under which Beijing grants limited autonomy to Hong Kong and Macau.

The statement came two days after China described Chen's recent speeches as "extremely immoral and very dangerous" and that his attempts to achieve independence for the island were doomed.

"Chen Shui-bian begins with his own election needs and has selfishly usurped the representation of his party and people," a spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said, according to China's official Xinhua news agency.