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China says Taiwan “will surely pay a dear price” if it continues to move towards independence

The president of the ‘de facto’ independent Taiwanese Republic, Chen Shui-bian, plans to call a referendum on UN admission at the end of March.

Beijing is putting considerable pressure on Taiwan, a territory under Chinese administration that has considered itself independent from the People’s Republic of China since 1949. A spokesman for the Chinese Parliament left no room for doubt: “The attempts by the Chen Shui-bian authorities to push for a referendum on joining the UN under the name Taiwan is a... move towards ‘de jure’ independence for Taiwan,” and he added that if [Chen Shui-bian] should stubbornly continue down the path, they will surely pay a dear price”, BBC reported.

The Chinese Government hopes its comments will put pressure on the small self-proclaimed republic, which will hold presidential elections on 22 March and intends to move a step closer to ‘de jure’ independence with a referendum on UN membership. Beijing’s warning is not only directed at Taiwan but at the entire international community. The spokesman for the Chinese Parliament also stated that China is “fully prepared to repulse any adventurous activities aimed at Taiwan independence, and prevent anyone from separating Taiwan from China.

”Under its official name, the Republic of China, Taiwan is currently recognized by about twenty countries around the world. Last September, Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party secured a resolution that asserted Taiwan’s identity as being separate from China’s.

 

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