Chen Shui-bian can't fool the int'l community

Chen Shui-bian wound up replacing "abolish" with "ceasing activity" with regard to the "National Unification Council" in an attempt to curry favor for the fundamentalists of the "Taiwan independence" force on the one hand, and to escape the blame for his pursuit to change the status quo across the Taiwan Straits and to violate the "five no's" promise on the other. However, Chen Shui-bian made a mistake again for he played tricks with the wisdom of people all over the world. Is the international community so gullible that people can be cheated by his play of words?

Facts speak louder.

Chen Shui-bian on Feb. 27 announced that the island's policy-making "national unification council" would cease to function, and its 15-year-old guidelines would cease to apply. On the same day, the United States and Japan issued statements reiterating the one-China policy and saying that they do not support "Taiwan independence". Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the "ceasing activity" worries the international community about Taiwan's intention. Russia, France, Spain and the Philippines said one after another that Chen Shui-bian's move was not helpful to the regional peace and prosperity. The United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and UN General Assembly President Jan Eliasson reaffirmed that the UN firmly pursues the one-China principle. The European Union described "ceasing activity" as "provocative". What is thought-provoking is that the US State Department issued another statement on Mar. 2, warning Taiwan that if any item listed in the promise of "five no's" is scrapped, it means changing the status quo. The next day, a spokesperson of the State Department reiterated with a tough tone, demanding Taiwan authorities "unambiguously affirm that the Feb. 27 announcement did not abolish the 'National Unification Council', did not change the status quo, and that the assurances remain in effect."

Chen Shui-bian is naturally afraid of the U.S. as he has always been dependent on Washington. He can remain silent as he did to muddle through. Nevertheless, if he wants to deceive others, but not himself, then he will be able to answer the question if Ah Bian is wrong. Of course, he is.

He is wrong because he has trampled on the collective memory of the human history. In December 1941, the Chinese government announced to the world in a formal war declaration against Japan, that China abolished the Treaty of Shimonoseki and would recover Taiwan.

Then in December 1943, China, the United States and the Great Britain issued the Cairo Declaration, which stipulates that Japan should return Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, which were stolen by Japan, to China.

In October 1945, the Chinese government recovered Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, restoring sovereignty over Taiwan. Therefore, "Taiwan independence" is just separating Taiwan from China, and this cannot be tolerated by any country that upholds justice in the world.

Chen Shui-bian is wrong for his provocation against international consensus and principle.

The one-China principle has been universally accepted by the international community with consensus. Now there have been more than 160 countries acknowledging that the Chinese mainland and Taiwan belong to one China and they have promised to handle their relations with Taiwan under the one-China framework. The international community is aware that the Chinese government and people would never sit idle should Taiwan go in for "independence" and the Asia-Pacific situation is closely related to that of the Taiwan Straits. The one-China principle is not only the foundation for both sides of the Taiwan Straits to solve their political differences, but also the foundation for maintaining peace and stability in the Asia and Pacific region, which is in the interest of all countries in the world.

Chen Shui-bian is wrong for he has been in defiance of the world for the sake of his own pittance of profit.

Freeing himself from the previous dilemma both inside and outside, Chen Shui-bian has heard some supportive voices with his approval rating reversing from lower than 10 percent and starting to climb. Though still embarrassing, anyway, something is better than nothing. In his calculation, perhaps this is just a balance. So Chen did not stop after the blunder. In a recent interview with Japanese Yomiuri Shimbun, he said that it is not totally without possibility that for a new "constitution" suitable for Taiwan to be born and a "referendum on the new constitution" to be held next year. This shows that Chen Shui-bian is once again putting on the table another step towards the "Taiwan independence" in another round of escalated secessionist acts.

In the same period last year, Chen Shui-bian, when televised, publicly admitted that Taiwan couldn't get independent saying "no more deceiving yourself as well as others", "it cannot be done and that is just the case." When people still recall these words, Chen Shui-bian is repeating his mistake. How far will he go on the wrong way? The whole world is watching.

The article translated by People's Daily Online is carried on the front page of People's Daily Overseas Edition, March 8, authored by Chen Xiaoxing, associate senior editor with the paper