- (AFP) - Taiwanese "independence forces" are
the greatest threat to peace and stability in Asia, China's Vice President
Hu Jintao has warned a visiting US envoy, state press said.
-
- Hu - the likely successor to President Jiang Zemin -
made the comments on Monday to visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Richard
Armitage in a reminder that Beijing remains concerned over the issue.
- "The separatist activities of 'Taiwan independence'
forces poses the gravest threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan
Straits, and is an element of sabotage to peace and stability in the Asian-Pacific
region," Hu was quoted as saying by the official People's Daily on
Tuesday.
- "We will never allow the independence of Taiwan
nor tolerate the harm caused by separatist forces in Taiwan to China's
sovereignty and territorial integrity," he told Armitage.
-
- Hu is tipped to become China's top leader following the
retirement of President Jiang Zemin, which could happen during a leadership
succession beginning at a Communist Party congress in November.
- Armitage is the highest-level US official to visit China
since Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian incensed Beijing in early August
by threatening to hold a referendum on the island's future, also insisting
Taiwan and China were "two states".
-
- China has vowed to take Taiwan by force if the island
formally declares independence, despite Taipei's de facto self-rule since
Nationalist armies fled there in 1949 after defeat to communist forces
in a civil war.
-
- Earlier this month, Armitage reportedly met Tsai Ing-wen,
Taiwan's top mainland policy official, who was in Washington - much to
Beijing's dismay - to explain President Chen's remarks.
-
- Beijing opposes any official contact between Taiwanese
officials and nations with which China maintains diplomatic relations.
- Since coming to power in 2001, the administration of
US President George W. Bush has angered Beijing by offering Taiwan a multi-billion
dollar weapons package while pledging "to do whatever it takes"
to protect island from mainland threats.
-
- Armitage was in Beijing to hold one-day consultations
on an upcoming summit between Jiang and Bush at Bush's Crawford, Texas
ranch in late October.
-
- Armitage told reporters late Monday that the United States
did not support Taiwanese independence, but that Washington insists on
a "peaceful resolution" of the issue.
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