Posted on 08/07/2002 4:38:40 AM PDT by kattracks
Taiwan risks attack from China if President Chen Shui-bian presses ahead with a referendum on the island's future, Beijing's military warned through state-run media.
In the first direct reference to possible military action since Chen's call for a referendum at the weekend sparked a crisis between the rivals, an unidentified "senior military source" told the China Daily that force always remained a possibility.
Chen's comments underscored the growing possibility that "peace will have to be safeguarded and won through the use of force", the source was quoted as saying.
"If we want to strive for peace, we have to be fully prepared for military actions," the source said.
"We have enough confidence and determination to settle the question."
The source reiterated Beijing's long-held stance that it would continue to work for peaceful reunification with the island, while also stressing that the Taiwan issue was purely an internal affair of China.
However, he emphasized "the need for the mainland to proceed with military preparations as a backup to encourage a peaceful reunification".
"We must not delude ourselves that the separatists will abandon their pro-independence pursuit overnight," the source warned.
Over the past two days Chinese officials and state-run media have reacted angrily to Chen's remarks on Saturday that the island's "future and destiny" could only be decided by its people through a referendum.
Beijing said Monday that Chen's comments, in which he also strongly suggested Taiwan's status as a country, were leading his people to "disaster".
Officials in Taipei have sought to play down the comments' significance.
China and Taiwan have been separated since the end of a civil war in 1949, but Beijing still considers the island part of its territory, awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.
military preparations for peace? that's an oxymoron if I ever heard one.
And money from the folks who still insist on buying "Made in China" will be what has given China the capitol to build up its military, that and the Clinton eras selling of some of our military secrets to same.
Now if you can show me some products on the shelves of American stores that don't say made in China I'll buy 'em. Or rather I will spend a months pay and buy one instead of half a dozen China made products.
I'd love to freeze China out of the couple hundred dollars they'll bring in from me this year but it won't make a difference. With the cutting edge missile guidance tech. and cutting edge multiple warhead tech. that Beelzebubba gave the ChiComs they'll find a way to use it with or without cash from American consumers. It's really small potatoes compared to what 'American' corp.'s are giving them.
Admittedly they are hard to find, not because we don't manufacture them in the US anymore as much as chains are more interested in making lots of money even if it supports our Current/Future enemies. I do not own nor will I own anything made in China. And yes I check all labels and if need be, order clothing out of state. And I do not buy from Wallmart.
The sooner more Americans start doing the same, we might actually go back to being an Industrial nation versus a service one. And while I do believe in a free market society, I do not believe it should be done at the expense of our "American" culture.
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