"Taiwan independence" forces playing with fire

Hong Kong newspapers Monday expressed their firm support to the statement issued by the Taiwan Work Office of the Central Committee of Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council on current cross-Straits relations late Sunday night.

Some Hong Kong newspapers pointed out that the "Taiwan independence" force's attempts of dismembering China are playing with fire and will ultimately meet their destruction.

Hong Kong Wen Wei Po said in its editorial Monday that four years ago, Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian pledged himself to the "four no's policy." His track record, however, was one of broken promises and bad faith and pushed the cross-Straits relations to the brink of danger.

The editorial said Chen had claimed that he would not declare "Taiwan independence," while incessantly clamoring "one country on each side," "rectification of Taiwan's name" and "referendum," and has even put out a timetable to move the island to independence through the making of a new constitution.

The editorial said Chen's acts indicated that "Taiwan Independence" does not lead to peace, nor national dismemberment to stability, stressing that the Chinese people will not tolerate "Taiwan Independence."

The editorial said the Chinese mainland would not give up the efforts of seeking peaceful negotiations and seeking peaceful cross-Straits development with Taiwan compatriots. In the next four years, no matter who assume power in Taiwan, as long as they recognize that there is only one China in the world and that both the mainland and Taiwan belong to that one and same China, abandon the "Taiwan independence" stance and stop the separatist activities, then, cross-Straits relations can hold out a bright prospect of peace, stability and development.

The editorial said only by adhering to the one-China principle, can a framework of peace, stability and development of the cross-Straits relations be set up, and Taiwan's economic competitiveness be enhanced.

Hong Kong Commercial Daily said in its editorial Monday that Chen Shui-bian had been sticking to "one country to each side" and "Taiwan independence" principle in the past four years, refusing to accept one-China policy and denying the "1992 consensus" reached between the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits and Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation.

The editorial said Chen has been advocating "Taiwan independence" in various fields and through various means. His acts constitute the biggest obstacle for the cross-Straits peace talks and improvement of the cross-Straits relations.

The editorial said various facts indicated that Chen's claiming of improving the cross-Straits relations is just an attempt to deceive the public opinion of the international community.

The editorial said the real purpose is to act according to his "Taiwan independence" timetable, to adopt a "new constitution" in 2006 and to realize "Taiwan independence" by "establishing a country."

The editorial stressed that so long as Chen does not recognize the one-China principle in his deeds and does not sincerely improve the cross-Straits relations, all his new tactics and rhetoric will be fruitless efforts, and the cross-Straits situation could not have a prospect for peace and stability.