Taipei's stubborn pro-independence stance represented by its leader's latest refusal of the one-China principle may trigger new tensions and conflicts across the Taiwan Straits, a senior Taiwan affairs official warned Wednesday.

"The move is not only unable to help break the existing stalemate in cross-Straits ties but may also lead to new tensions and conflicts between the two sides,'' said Zhang Mingqing, spokesman with the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

Zhang accused Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian of "flying in the face of the basic facts'' to again refuse the one-China principle and deny the existence of the so-called 1992 consensus.

Chen told supporters of his pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on October 21 that acceptance of the one-China principle would be tantamount to "selling out the country''.

Beijing has set the one-China principle as the precondition for resumption of any cross-Straits talks.

The principle holds that there is only one China in the world, both the Chinese mainland and Taiwan are part of China and Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity brook no separation.

Speaking at rallies for DPP candidates in the year-end legislative election, Chen also said he would continue to shun Beijing's demand that he return to the 1992 consensus.

Under the informal agreement, reached orally between the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits and Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation in November 1992, the two sides of the Straits both adhere to the one-China principle.

Zhang reiterated "there will not be any chance of resuming cross-Straits negotiations to improve their already strained relations unless Taipei explicitly accepts the one-China principle and the 1992 consensus.''

"And only by embracing the principle and agreement can the interests of Taiwan compatriots be safeguarded and Taiwan's demand for stability and prosperity be met,'' he said.

The spokesman also condemned the ruling DPP's move to water down its pro-independence stance, saying it is just "a change in form but not in content''.

The DPP at a party congress held on October 20 passed a motion to recognize the status of the 1999 resolution on Taiwan's future.

The 1999 resolution stipulates that any altering of the island's status quo must be decided through a referendum by all the residents on the islands.

The party platform approved in 1991 aims to establish an independent Taiwan republic and enforce a new constitution.

The decision marked a milestone change in the direction of the party, which had attempted to "negate the status quo and push for independence,'' analysts said.

"But with the changing political environment and fresh interpretations of a sovereign state, the DPP now thinks the status quo is independence,'' said DPP Chairman Frank Chang-ting Hsieh.

Zhang, however, stressed the DPP move has apparently showed the party "has not changed its nature as a pro-independence party at all.''

"We have been long and steadfastly opposing all separatist moves to separate Taiwan from China as they are crimes of separating the motherland,'' he said.

This is the first time that Beijing publicly called Taiwan separatism a crime.

There were proposals from the delegates of last year's National People's Congress for a law on anti-national separatism.

Zhang went on to warn that Beijing will take every measure, including the use of force, to safeguard the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The spokesman referred to a government white paper issued last year, the One-China Principle and the Taiwan Issue, to demonstrate Beijing's determination to curb any scheme to divide China.

The document said: "If a grave turn of events occurs leading to the separation of Taiwan from China in any name, or if Taiwan is invaded and occupied by foreign countries, or if the Taiwan authorities refuse, sine die, the peaceful settlement of cross-Straits reunification through negotiations, then the Chinese government will only be forced to adopt all drastic measures possible, including the use of force, to safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and fulfill the great cause of reunification.''

As for the way to tackle cross-Straits relations following the mainland and Taiwan's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in early November, Zhang said WTO rules cannot cover all matters concerning the two sides.

Some issues such as cross-Straits trade and economic exchanges and the establishment of three links -- direct trade, transport and postal links between Taiwan and the mainland -- should only be dealt with under the one-China principle as internal affairs within one country, Zhang added.

"We do not need WTO rules or any other international occasion to handle internal matters of our Chinese people,'' he said.

(China Daily November 1, 2001)