The escalating "Taiwan Independence" activities are the root-cause of the tension across the Taiwan Straits and the biggest threat to stability of the Taiwan Straits region, pointed out Wang Zaixi, the deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council at a seminar held at the Macao Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China

Since 1990s, the "Taiwan Independence" activities have kept on growing with the support and connivance of Lee Teng-hui. Chen Shuibian clings to the separatist stance by pushing "gradual Taiwan Independence" tactic since he came to power in 2000. In Aug, 2002, he released openly his separatist proposition of "one side, one country", which intensified the cross-straits relation. Since last year, he further pushed ahead the "Taiwan Independence" activities by taking advantage of the elections. He wantonly misled the public; advocated to work out a "new constitution" for Taiwan and scheduled a timetable for "Taiwan Independence". All these have pushed the cross-straits relations to the brink of dangerousness.

In recent times, the "Taiwan Independence" activities by Chen Shuibian authorities have been on an escalation. Their separatist remarks turn out more explicit. They give enormous publicity to "Taiwan is a country of sovereignty." In the name of so-called "constitutional reform", they claim to make Taiwan a "normal, complete country". At present, Chen Shuibian threatens to have referendum on the first "new constitution of Taiwan", which is to be enacted in 2008. The Chen Shuibian authorities have deliberately planned denying the cultural and historical relations between China and Taiwan and carry out "de-China", "rectification of the name of Taiwan" activities. They have tried by all means to play tricks on the "shortened form of the country name" and threaten to join the UN under the name of "Taiwan". At the same time Chen hasn't stopped voicing out remarks that are hostile to the Chinese mainland so as to beef up "Taiwan Independence". He pretended to be willing to ease the tension across the Straits, by which he intended to cover up his "Taiwan Independence" activities, deceiving the public for winning more votes in the election.

The facts have proved once again that Chen Shuibian's true intention is to push forward the "Taiwan Independence". His separatist activities have now turned out the biggest threat to the security of the Asia Pacific and peace and stability along the Taiwan Straits. The "Taiwan Independence" must be curbed in order to get peace or otherwise there will be no peace, Wang points out.

"Taiwan Independence" activities harm others; harm the separatists themselves; harm the country

The reunification of China is in line with the common interests of the Chinese compatriots across the Straits. The "Taiwan Independence" activities will not only harm others; harm the separatists themselves but also the country, says Wang Zaixi.

Taiwan has been an integral part of the Chinese territory since ancient times, which is widely recognized in the world community. The "Cairo Declaration" and "Potsdam Proclamation" have made the ascription of Taiwan very clearly. In 1945, the Japanese government returned Taiwan and the Penghu Islands to China according to the above documents. The attempt of the "Taiwan Independence" forces to deny and distort the historic fact is of no avail and in vain.

The nongovernmental exchanges across-straits have been making progress due to the joint efforts of the Chinese compatriots on both sides. Every year, about three million Taiwan compatriots in turnstile count shuttle to and fro across the Taiwan Straits and over hundreds of thousands of them come to work, study and live in the Chinese mainland. The exchanges in culture, education, science and technology have been quite frequent with noted achievements made in economic cooperation.

As proved the expanding of the exchanges is in line with the common interests of the compatriots across the Taiwan Straits. The compatriots belong to one family. Both sides will be harmed if they are separated. This has come to be recognition by more and more compatriots in Taiwan, Wang points out.

By People's Daily Online