| Topic: |
Science > Prophecies-Of-Nostradamus |
| User: |
"Arnold Holbrook" |
| Date: |
16 Dec 2003 07:51:59 AM |
| Object: |
Taiwan VP Calls China Missiles 'Terrorism' (How ***** war on terror backfires...) |
.... other countries use it to stir up trouble.
Taiwan VP Calls China Missiles 'Terrorism'
By REUTERS
Published: December 16, 2003
Filed at 0:47 a.m. ET
TAIPEI (Reuters) - Missiles that China has aimed at arch-rival Taiwan
are a form of ``state terrorism'' and a referendum calling for their
removal is necessary to defend the island, Taiwan Vice President
Annette Lu said Tuesday.
Lu is one of Taiwan's fiercest advocates of independence from China,
whose state media have characterized her as a ``traitor'' and ``scum
of the nation.''
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``Four hundred and ninety-six missiles are no joke. We should let the
world know this kind of state terrorism already exists,'' Lu told
Reuters.
President Chen Shui-bian plans a referendum asking China to remove
missiles aimed at the island alongside presidential elections next
March, a move that has riled both Washington and Beijing.
Tension between China and Taiwan has been rising since the island's
parliament passed a bill last month to permit referendums. Beijing
considers Taiwan a breakaway province and has threatened to attack if
the island declares statehood.
Lu showed no signs of backing down from the plan despite a blunt
warning by President Bush last week against either side upsetting the
status quo.
She said a vote was necessary to highlight the increasing threat and
would help defend the island's security.
``If we cannot effectively block it, the number of missiles may rise
to 650 or even 800,'' Lu said in her first interview to foreign media
after Chen picked her last week as his running mate in next year's
presidential race.
``This indicates China absolutely has the intention to use force to
invade Taiwan. It may be a little late for the world to know that, but
it's never too late.''
Taiwan's main opposition Nationalist Party, staking out an election
position partly based on better ties with China, came out strongly
against Chen's plans for a referendum -- which Beijing sees as a step
toward independence.
The Nationalists appear to be drawing a clear line between themselves
and Chen, who wants to pursue the referendum but says it is not about
independence or changing the political status quo.
Lu brushed aside criticism that the referendum was an election gambit
by her independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party to provoke
China -- and thus garner votes.
She said the president was only empowered to hold such a vote after
parliament approved the referendum bill last month.
Beijing and Taipei have been diplomatic and military rivals since
their split at the end of a civil war in 1949, but trade, investment
and tourism have blossomed since detente began in the late 1980s,
mostly routed through Hong Kong.
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