On October 10 Taiwan?s so-called President Chen Shui-bian made a ?national day? speech, in which he continued to advocate Taiwan as an independent state. This speech represents another grave provocation to cross-Straits peace and stability. So long as Chen sticks to his separatist stance of ? one country on each side?, his so-called peace proposals will be nothing but lies to deceive the Taiwanese people and the international opinion.

Under Chen?s leadership, the Taiwan authorities have been forging ahead with the so-called ?constitutional? re-engineering project to permanently split Taiwan from the motherland. Meanwhile, Taiwan is also accelerating its arms build-up through a plan to buy US $18.2 billion worth of U.S.-manufactured weapons in the coming years. A senior official in Taiwan even called for a ?balance of terror? across the Straits. All the facts have proven that Chen?s conciliatory move is false and his pro-independence bid is true. His separatist push is the root cause of the severe situation across the Straits and also poses the biggest threat to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

Peace and stability is the common aspiration of people on both sides of the Straits. The position of the mainland has always been clear and consistent. So long as the Taiwan authorities acknowledge ?there is only one China, and Taiwan is part of China?, and stop their separatist activities, the cross-Straits relations will have a very bright future. We hope the Taiwan authorities will honor the 1992 Consensus, in which the two sides adhere to the one-China principle and resume the dialogue between the two sides at an early date.

The Chinese government has made tremendous efforts over the years to safeguard the peace and stability across the Straits. We will try to solve the Taiwan issue with the utmost sincerity and efforts. However, safeguarding the national sovereignty and territorial integrity is in the core interest of China, and the Chinese people will never allow anybody to split Taiwan from the motherland in any form. We hope the international community will see clearly the danger of Chen Shui-bian?s separatist activities, fully understand the policies of the Chinese government, and support the Chinese people in their just struggle to counter and contain the separatist attempt.