An official yesterday renewed its warning against Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian's obstinate push for "independence" despite his party's crushing defeat in recent local government elections.

Li Weiyi, spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said the setback suffered by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) showed the Taiwanese people value peace and stability with the mainland.

"The result of the recent Taiwan elections reflects the Taiwanese people's wish for social stability, economic development as well as peaceful and stable cross-Straits ties," he told a regular news conference.

"But we have noted that the Taiwan leader has yet to abandon his attempt to create confrontation and sabotage ties across the Straits through the 'constitutional re-engineering' project."

Chen has pledged to draft a new "constitution" through referendum in 2006 and to bring it into force in 2008, a move widely seen as edging the island towards formal "independence."

Li said Chen's secessionist scheme goes against the fundamental interests of people across the Straits and poses the biggest threat to peace and stability between Taiwan and the mainland.

"People on both sides of the Straits should stay alert to Chen's attempt," he added.

It was the first time for Beijing to officially comment on Taiwan's December 3 local government polls, in which the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) secured a landslide victory.

The KMT, which favours closer ties with the mainland, and its allies landed 17 of the total 23 mayoral and county magistrate posts.

The pro-"independence" DPP won only six constituencies, down from its current 10, and lost its three traditional strongholds of Taipei County, Ilan County and Chiayi City.

At the news conference, Li also disclosed that the KMT has asked the DPP administration to review its denial of a planned island visit by Chen Yunlin, minister of the Taiwan Affairs Office.

Chen Yunlin was scheduled to visit Taipei in mid-December for a high-level forum between the Communist Party of China and the KMT but the DPP administration rejected the KMT's application for his trip last month.

Li stressed that Chen Yunlin's visit is aimed at promoting mutual understanding, peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

(China Daily December 15, 2005)