China’s denounces Taiwan's U.N. vote

Yang Jiechi denounced a referendum planned for March that will ask Taiwanese voters if they support applying for U.N. membership. President Chen Shui-bian has said a referendum is the best way to show the world whether the majority of Taiwan’s 23 million people favor the island gaining a U.N. seat.

“The Taiwan authorities are now obstinately clinging to the separatist court of ‘Taiwan independence’ and making every attempt to push for a referendum on applying for membership of the United Nations,” Jiechi said. “If unchecked, this move will gravely endanger peace and stability across the Taiwan straits and the Asia Pacific region.”

China and Taiwan split amid civil war in 1949, but the communist government in Bejing claims the democratically run island as part of its territory. China has threatened to attack if Taiwan declares independence and has stationed hundreds of missiles opposite the island.

Taiwan’s former Nationalist government was a founding member of the United Nations in 1945. But the Nationalists were forced to retreat to Taiwan after communist forces won control of the mainland in 1949, and the Beijing government took over China’s U.N. seat in 1971.

Last week, Taiwan’s bid to join the United Nations was thwarted for the 15th straight year.

The planned referendum would ask voters if they support applying for U.N. membership under the name “Taiwan” and not the “Republic of China.” Using “Taiwan” is seen as provocative because it appears to negate the “one China” policy that Beijing demands and the U.S. accepts.

“The Chinese government has always made every effort to ... seek peaceful reunification,” Yang said. “However, we will never allow anyone to separate Taiwan from China in any name or in any way.”

In Beijing, another top government official also accused Taiwan of driving up tensions.

“Taiwan independence activities are extremely rampant, pushing the situation in the Taiwan Strait into a period of high danger,” Jia Qinglin, the fourth-ranking official in the Community party, was quoted as saying by state television.

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