The Hindu : Chen calls for referendum

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 04, 2002

International

International

Chen calls for referendum

Taipei Aug 3. The Taiwanese President, Chen Shui-bian, called for a referendum on the island's future in a series of defiant comments today, risking the wrath of rival China which claims sovereignty over it.

The surprise statement ran in contrast to an earlier pledge that he would not push for a plebiscite on whether Taiwan should declare independence or be reunified with China during his four-year tenure.

``Taiwan's future and destiny can only be decided by the 23 million people living on the island,'' Mr. Chen said in a teleconference with the pro-independence overseas Taiwanese association in Tokyo.

``But how to make the decision when the time comes? The answer is what (we) have sought after — referendum,'' he told the pro-independence group. He also stressed Taiwan's statehood and independent sovereignty, saying that ``each side (of the Taiwan Strait) is a country''.

``Taiwan cannot be bullied, dwarfed, marginalised or regionalised.

Taiwan is not part of another country, nor is it a regional government or a province.''

However Mr. Chen stopped short of mentioning independence and did not outline a timeframe for the referendum.

The remarks followed a recent statement from Mr. Chen that Taiwan would ``walk down our own road, our Taiwan road'' if Beijing remained hostile to resolving cross-strait disputes

Today's comments came on the heels of a fresh threat by China this week that it was ready to take the island by force if necessary.

— AFP

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