Taiwan Passes Independence Referendum Law
November 27, 2003
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 2:15 p.m. ET
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) -- Defying China's threats of war,
Taiwanese lawmakers on Thursday gave their president power
to call an independence referendum if Beijing appears ready
to invade the island in the name of unification.
The vote demonstrated how much democracy has evolved on
Taiwan, where legislators once did not dare support
referendums for fear of provoking China, which is just 100
miles across the Taiwan Strait.
Chinese leaders insist Taiwan is part of their nation's
territory, though the Communist government has never ruled
the island since taking over the mainland in 1949.
The government in Beijing repeatedly has warned the
Taiwanese they must unify eventually or face a devastating
war -- a conflict that could quickly involve Taiwan's best
friend, the United States. China tested missiles near
Taiwan in 1996 when the island held its first direct
presidential election.
Lawmaker Chou Hsi-wei of the opposition People First Party
acknowledged that China probably will be angered by
Thursday's vote, but added, ``We call on others to respect
our democracy, freedom and rule of law.''
The Chinese Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment and
referred questions to the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing,
where telephones rang unanswered.
Several hundred referendum supporters rallied outside
Taiwan's legislature during the vote.
``Any country, including America, Japan and China,
shouldn't interfere with our referendum rights. It's our
basic right,'' said one demonstrator, who only gave his
surname, Wu.
The island's jittery stock market closed down 2 percent
amid fears the vote on the referendum proposal would
provoke China, dealers said.
China's latest threat came Wednesday, when it warned Taiwan
that referendums on sovereignty issues could ``bring
disaster to Taiwan's people.''
But Taiwan is in the middle of a tight presidential
campaign, and one of President Chen Shui-bian's key issues
has been expanding the island's democracy by legalizing
referendums.
The opposition -- which controls the legislature --
initially opposed that idea, saying it could recklessly
provoke China. But opposition lawmakers flip-flopped
because they were worried about appearing undemocratic and
too sympathetic to China.
Legislators gave the president power to hold a ``defensive
referendum'' if Taiwan faces an external threat -- such as
from China.
Since his upset election victory in 2000, Chen has promised
not to hold an independence vote as long as China does not
try to take over the island.
The legislature rejected a more sweeping referendum bill
that would have allowed sovereignty-related votes without
restrictions.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Taiwan-Referendum-Law.html?ex=1070977118&ei=1&en=6e51e117246e81d5
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