Warning Issued Over Taiwanese Referendum
China said today that Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian’s backing of a referendum on formal independence would cause severe damage to cross-strait relations and lead the island toward disaster.
“We seriously warn Taiwan [separatist] forces not to wrongly judge the situation, to immediately stop the horse at the edge of the precipice and to stop all [separatist] activities,” said Li Weiyi, spokesman for Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office.
Chen said Saturday that holding a referendum was a “basic human right” and there was basically “one country on each side” of the Taiwan Strait.
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