Chen Wants Poll On Taiwan's Independence 
President's surprising remarks likely to incur Beijing's wrath

August 4, 2002
By Lawrence Chung,STRAITS TIMES TAIWAN BUREAU

Surprise call, likely to anger China, was made pointedly in Hokkien, not Mandarin, underlining pro-independence message


TAIPEI - In provocative remarks likely to incur China's wrath, President Chen Shui-bian yesterday called for a referendum to decide if Taiwan should go it alone as a separate country.

His comments, made during a teleconference with pro-independence activists in Tokyo, were delivered pointedly in Hokkien, not Mandarin, underlining the pro-independence message.


'Taiwan is our country, and our country cannot be bullied, dwarfed, marginalised or regionalised,' said Mr Chen.

'Simply put, Taiwan and China are countries on each side of the Strait. That has to be clarified,' he said, calling for a referendum.

His comments yesterday came just days after he threatened to have the island go its 'own way' despite warnings from China against any moves towards independence.

Beijing regards Taiwan as a renegade province subject to eventual union with China. It has threatened to take the island by force if it pushes for independence.

But Mr Chen yesterday pressed on with his independence agenda, saying that Taiwan was not a part of another country nor was it a regional government or a province.

It was also not a second Hongkong, noted Mr Chen, dismissing the 'one country, two systems' model used by Beijing in the reunification of Hongkong.

He also rejected the 'one China' principle formulated by Beijing, saying that it was an affront to the Taiwanese.

'Taiwan's future and destiny can only be decided by the 23 million people living on the island,' he said, adding that a referendum was the simplest way to go about it and was a fundamental human right.

'We should seriously think about the importance and urgency of providing legislation and legal footing for referendum,' he added.

His statement backing a plebiscite was a surprise as it contradicted an earlier pledge that he would not push for a referendum on whether Taiwan should declare independence during his tenure as President.

Mr Chen's comments yesterday echoed the so-called 'two-states theory' proposed by his predecessor Lee Teng-hui in 1999. Mr Lee's theory led to a series of angry statements from Beijing, which also conducted war games as a warning to Taiwan.

Beijing yesterday did not issue an official reaction. Mr Li Weiyi, a spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office, reiterated the line that 'the only future for Taiwan is unification', when asked for his comments by Taiwan's TVBS cable news.

But Taiwanese opposition politicians criticised Mr Chen. Mr James Soong, chairman of the People First Party, accused him of provoking war.

Some analysts here read Mr Chen's sharp remarks as a pressure tactic to make Beijing improve ties with Taipei, which, if it came about, could help boost his re-election chances in 2004.

'President Chen is getting more frustrated and impatient over the cold responses from Beijing despite a series of goodwill offers by him,' said political analyst Andrew Yang.

'Beijing wooing away the tiny Taiwanese diplomatic ally Nauru when Mr Chen was inaugurated as the Democratic Progressive Party chairman last month greatly embarrassed him, which, in a way explains why he is taking a hawkish stand,' he added.

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