Representatives of the Chinese community in Myanmar gathered on Thursday in Yangon to condemn new secessionist remarks made by Taiwan's leader Chen Shui-bian.

A joint statement issued at the end of the gathering said that Chen's "four wants and one no" remarks have totally betrayed the promise he made in the past.

Chen said recently that he wanted independence, a new constitution, development, and new names for local firms that use the word "China" in their title.

As he took office in 2000, Chen pledged to adhere to "four no's" -- no declaration of "Taiwan independence," no incorporation of the "two states" remarks into the constitution, no change of the province's name and no referendum on "Taiwan independence."

The joint statement said Chen's new remarks indicated that he attempted to seek "de jure independence of Taiwan" through a "new constitution," seriously endangering peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region and the world at large.

The Chinese people across the Taiwan Strait share the wish to strive for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, seek development on both sides of the strait, and achieve a win-win situation, the statement said.

The Chinese community in Myanmar firmly opposes Chen's plot to seek "Taiwan independence" and they will continue to safeguard the interest of the Chinese people and China's territorial integrity, it added.

Source: Xinhua