A renowned expert on the Taiwan issue from the Chinese mainland has denounced the Taiwan authority leader's recent activities to promote the abolition of Taiwan's "National Unification Council" and "National Unification Guidelines" as "risky bets" of gamblers, which have put cross-Straits stability and the welfare of Taiwan people on the line.

Guo Zhenyuan, a research fellow of the China Institute for International Studies, said on Thursday that the remarks are an escalation of Taiwan authority leader Chen Shui-bian's secessionist activities after he made "Taiwan independence" remarks in his provocative New Year speech.

"The move proves that the leader of the Taiwan authority has tried to strengthen his position in the Democratic Progressive Party at the cost of provoking tension in cross-Straits relations and conflicts between secessionists and people who support reunification in Taiwan," Guo said.

"We should remain aware of the danger of the escalated 'secessionist activities' promoted by this 'underdog of the gambling den'," Guo added.

Guo called the separatists' activities "rash moves" which are against the tide of public opinion.

Recent opinion polls show that the people in Taiwan oppose changes to the status quo across the Taiwan Straits, and hope that the cross-Straits relationship will continue to develop, according to Guo.

"It is internationally acknowledged that the leader of the Taiwan authority is a 'troublemaker'," Guo said.

A U.S. government spokesperson on Jan. 30 reiterated the one-China policy, saying the United States opposes unilateral changes to the status quo across the Taiwan Straits and is prepared to adopt concrete measures to curb this dangerous tendency.

"It's only the Taiwan authority leader's own wishful thinking to have the United States behind his 'Taiwan independence' secessionist activities," Guo added.

"The mainland will stick to its current guidelines and policies on the Taiwan issue," Guo said. "The mainland resolutely opposes any forms of secessionist activities in Taiwan, and is committed to promoting further development of the cross-Straits relations."

Chinese President Hu Jintao outlined four new guidelines regarding cross-Straits relations in 2005, and China's national legislature, the National People's Congress, adopted the Anti-Secession Law last March. It was clearly stated in Hu's guidelines and the law that the mainland will never sway in adhering to the one-China principle, never compromise in the struggle against "Taiwan independence" secessionist activities, never give up efforts to seek peaceful reunification, and never change the principle of placing hope on the Taiwan people.

Source: Xinhua