Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian yesterday called on a major Taiwan steel company to drop the word "China" from its name, the latest "de-sinicizing" move to split the island from Chinese culture.

Attending an event for the "China Steel Corporation" (CSC), Chen said the company "should absolutely change its name" as a gesture to "recognize Taiwan," local media reported.

The secession-leaning Chen launched the "de-sinicizing" campaign early in February, aiming to change the names of all "government-run" companies and their affiliated firms by eliminating the words that might show links with China.

Under the scheme, the island's postal service company was forced to change its name from "Chunghwa (meaning China) Post Co" to "Taiwan Post Co" and the oil company "Chinese Petroleum Corp" (CPC) changed the name to "CPC Corporation, Taiwan".

Chen also proposed revisions of laws and regulations in order to "legalize" the renaming, but the pro-secession legislation has been repeatedly blocked in the island's "legislature" by opposition lawmakers.

The "de-sinicizing" moves were strongly criticized by officials and scholars from both the mainland and Taiwan.

But Chen yesterday said renaming was a policy that the island's authorities would continue.

In another development, Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), has announced it strongly opposes a draft of the "second republic constitution" proposed by a professor from Taiwan University.

The proposal for a "second republic constitution" aims to seek "Taiwan independence" and is a part of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party platform for the Taiwan leader election in 2008, according to a KMT announcement.

Yang Tu, director of the KMT publicity department, was quoted as saying that a public opinion poll showed that only 20 percent of Taiwan people support Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian. Such a government has no public support for any amendment to the "constitution".

The basic principle of the "second republic constitution" is to seek "Taiwan independence", which will damage Taiwan's safety and bring about a risk of war, said Yang.

Source: China Daily - Xinhua