Posted on 03/06/2005 4:42:53 PM PST by Flavius
THOUSANDS of people took to the streets of Taiwan to protest against China’s proposed anti-secession law yesterday as the National People’s Congress in Beijing prepared to rubber-stamp the Bill that has prompted fears of a Chinese invasion.
The Taiwanese are worried that the anti-secession law, certain to pass through the annual session of parliament this week, will be used by China as a legal basis for invasion. Their fears were underlined by a proposal to increase military spending by 12.6 per cent, the latest double-digit rise in Beijing’s arms budget.
Li Zhaoxing, China’s Foreign Minister, said it would allow nobody to stand in the way of its bid to reclaim Taiwan. “Any practice of putting Taiwan directly or indirectly into the scope of Japan-US security co-operation constitutes an encroachment on China’s sovereignty and interference in internal affairs,” he said. “The Chi nese Government and people are firmly against such activity.”
The National People’s Congress is generally a talking shop where laws drawn up behind closed doors by the Communist Party’s top cadres are routinely approved by grassroots representatives. With Taiwan prominent on the agenda, it has attracted more interest this year.
About 20,000 people attended demonstrations in southern Taiwan.
Beijing claims that Taiwan is a renegade territory and has not ruled out reunification by force. It has claimed sovereignty over the island since the end of the civil war in 1949, when the defeated Nationalists fled to Taiwan from the Communist-held mainland. China has stationed hundreds of missiles just across the Strait of Taiwan.
The US has pledged to help to defend the island, but it is worried that a conflict would compromise its interests in China’s booming economy.
Mr Li adopted a more conciliatory tone on dealings with the United States and Japan when he said that disputes with the two countries should be resolved by dialogue and that China was not a threat to anyone.
Washington and Brussels are at loggerheads over the European Union’s plan to end an embargo on arms sales to China. Washington fears that if the situation deteriorates, EU-made arms could be used against US soldiers protecting the island.
Well all the Taiwain needs to do is pass a law making it illegal to be chinese. That way whoever helps in wiping out the entire country is just following the law.
sheesh... what type of idiot would actually support the chinese line?
BUMP for later
Funny, the official name of Taiwan is Republic of China. You are advocating the destruction of Taiwan?
One of the biggest foreign policy mistakes ever made was to recognize Red China as the legit China. Before it was policy to treat Taiwan as the seat of legit China.
Personnaly, if I was president I would guarantee Taiwan's security. Until and unless Taiwan, by democratic process, choses to unite with Red China, then I think any attempt to invade Taiwan should be treated as an invasion of the U.S.
I wished it were possible to form a strong alliance between Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and the United States. With mutual agreements to protect each other. However, I understand the Koreans don't like the Japenese very much.
"Personnaly, if I was president I would guarantee Taiwan's security. Until and unless Taiwan, by democratic process, choses to unite with Red China, then I think any attempt to invade Taiwan should be treated as an invasion of the U.S."
I would bet any President bar Bubba Clintoon would agree with you in theory. Too bad the Congress of the United States has put us in the unenviable position of being impotent on this future crisis. Congress has bowed to the Chinese lobby and helped build their exploding economy at the expense of our own economic future. The Chicoms now own so much of America and our Treasury's that they could put us in a 1929 like depression at their will. When Colin Powell came out publicly and stated that the US supports one China, everyone listening should have reached the conclusion that we would do nothing. We will not honor our words and any agreement to defend Taiwan, as our no back bone, spineless,and yellow congress critters would then have to go on record explaining how they sold out America's economic future to the Chinese.
China wants Taiwan back. And one day they'll get it back. Period. And I wonder if we'll be there for Taiwan when that day comes.
What else can they do? Congress sold them out.
"Go ahead, skin it. Skin that smoke wagon and see what happens."
"We will not honor our words and any agreement to defend Taiwan, as our no back bone, spineless,and yellow congress critters would then have to go on record explaining how they sold out America's economic future to the Chinese."
I think you are right - sad to say!
No China is what we call the PRC. ROC may be the official name but we call it Taiwan.
The South Koreans do not even like us very much. Still the US and Japan have gotten closer and for the first time, Taiwan is a mutual concern for both the US and Japan.
Fascist Chinese Hegemonist Bump.
Surely you caught the overall drift of my post right?
Lincoln-would-be-proud-ping!
W needs to let Beijing KNOW in no uncertain terms:
HANDS OFF THE ROC!
free dixie,sw
China wants everything "back". We should not be so quick to accept their inevitable premise.
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