Taiwanese group urges Taiwan authorities to recognize one-China principle

A senior leader of a Taiwanese organization Tuesday urged Taiwanese leader Chen Shui-bian to recognize the one-China principle and stop "Taiwan independence" activities, moves essential for peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits.

Lin Wenyi, executive deputy chairwoman of the Central Committee of the Taiwan Democratic Self-government League, said in a statement that "Taiwan independence" does not lead to peace, nor national division to stability, and the Taiwan leader has to make a choice between stopping separatist activities and recognizing the one-China principle, which refers to that there is only one China in the world and both the mainland and Taiwan belong to that one and same China.

Members of the league were born in Taiwan or are offspring of Taiwan residents.

Lin, who was formerly a professor with Qinghua University and vice-mayor of Beijing, said the Central Committee of the Taiwan Democratic Self-government League supports the statement issued Monday by the Chinese authorities on current cross-Straits relations.

According to the statement, the Chinese mainland "will do our utmost with the maximum sincerity to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification of the motherland. However, if Taiwan leaders should move recklessly to provoke major incidents of 'Taiwan independence', the Chinese people will crush their schemes firmly and thoroughly at any cost."

Lin accused Chen Shui-bian of wantonly instigating the hatred of Taiwanese people against the mainland using democracy as a cover in the past four years.

Chen has even put out a timetable of "Taiwan independence", including a referendum on writing a new "constitution" in 2006 and introducing a new "Taiwan constitution" in 2008, which threatens the peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits as well as the Asia-Pacific region, said Lin.

Lin said her league is greatly concerned with the development of the situation.