Extracts.
Taiwan Urged to Recognize "One China" Principle
A senior Chinese mainland official in charge of Taiwan affairs Wednesday
urged leaders of the Taiwan authorities to recognize the "One China"
principle as soon as possible to fundamentally stabilize cross-straits
relations.
Wang Zaixi, deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State
Council, made the call during an ongoing forum on Chinese culture and
cross-straits relations which opened Tuesday in Xiamen, a coastal city in
east China's Fujian Province.
Speaking to journalists from the mainland and Taiwan, Wang said the mainland
has taken an attitude of "wait and see" after the Taiwan leader assumed
office in May last year, and has made it clear that no dialogue and
negotiation would be held with the Taiwan authorities until the latter
recognizes the "One China" principle and returns to the consensus the two
sides reached in 1992.
Though the Taiwan authorities has not taken the step, the mainland did not
allow it to affect trade and other exchanges between the two sides of the
Taiwan Straits, as they are in line with the interests of the people on both
sides, the official said.
He noted that visits of Taiwan compatriots to the mainland hit a record 2.85
million arrivals in 2000, while trade between the two sides amounted to 30.5
billion U.S. dollars. Cross-straits exchanges in science and technology,
culture, sports and other fields are also in full swing.
Wang pointed out that because of the restrictions imposed by Taiwan
authorities, cross-straits exchanges are not yet direct and sometimes can
only go in one-way.
If direct "three links" in trade, transport and communications could be made
possible in the future, cross-straits relations and exchanges will increase
further, said the official.
When asked of Taiwan's recent arms purchase and missile tests, Wang said the
key for Taiwan to attain safety and stability is to recognize and not to
challenge the principle of "One China."
If a consensus could be reached on the "One China" principle, the
cross-straits situation will be stabilized fundamentally, otherwise, it will
be impossible no matter how many advanced weapons Taiwan buys. In fact, he
said, the huge spending by the Taiwan authorities on arms purchase and its
missile tests could only lead to the escalation of the cross-straits
tensions.
On whether the mainland has contacts with Taiwan's Democratic Progressive
Party, Wang said: "We are willing to hold dialogue and exchanges with any
parties, groups and individuals from Taiwan provided they are against Taiwan
independence and support the ' Once China' principle."
"Anyone and any person from Taiwan, including the "legislators, " are
welcome to visit the mainland at any time, so far as they are willing to
develop cross-straits relations and to seek consensus on the principle of
"One China," Wang said.
****
Unilateral-ism Won't Work: Analysis
Recently, a very influential article entitled "Bush-ism" was published in
the Flag Weekly, a quite popular magazine in the elite circle of Washington.
In the opinion of the article, the world has become single-polar, not
multi-polar, the United States should pursue a policy of unilateral-ism
necessary for recognizing and maintaining single-polarity.
With regard to what is single-polarity, the article takes the new Bush
administration's foreign actions, particularly challenging the ABM Treaty
and burying the Kyoto Protocol as the best annotations, saying these actions
have fundamentally renewed the expositions on the orientation of the
American foreign policy; rejected the multilateral restraint and restored
the freedom of action. The article said bluntly that the United States does
want to be the only one overlord in today's world, and rule the world
"kindly".
However, in the face of realities, such logic is hardly workable.
The United States is the No.1 country in terms of strength in today's world,
but the world is not a single-polar world of the United States, and a
single-polar world under the rule of the United States will not appear in
the future. A basic fact is a unified Europe is economically stronger than
the United States, Japan remains a big economic power in the world.
Militarily, Russia is a strong opponent which the United States has to face.
Russia's rejuvenation centered on the Europe-Asia continent and Japan's
resolved reform, and the rapid development of China and India-all are the
realities of the distribution of strength in today's world. Even in the
aspects of culture, conception, technology and other "soft strengths", the
United States does not necessarily hold the absolute upper hand. In
addition, the rise in the international community's anti-US forces and
emotion should also be taken into consideration, because this will
inevitably pin down the United States.
Realities are far more complicated than the above-mentioned conservativeness
and delusion. In the face of the United States' hegemonic attempt, Russia
does not make any substantive concession, Europe is even more worried about
the consequences of unilateral-ism. So, the United States has to resort to
both hard and soft diplomatic stratagem, by convincing, ingratiating and
inducing them. The United States repeatedly "explains" to the countries
concerned the hardly tenable reasons for the missile defense system, and has
to carry out dialogs with Russia. All these serve to show that today's world
can hardly be a single-polar world of the United States as asserted by the
article "Bush-ism".
The article "Bush-ism" professes that unilateral-ism can bring about genuine
security for the United States, advocates that militarily the United States
should keep a monopoly of the outer space and solve once and for all the
problem regarding nuclear proliferation which is to the concern of the
United States. In fact, when America has the intention to monopolize the
outer space, other big countries do not lack the ability to get involved in
the scramble for outer space. Such being the case, it is bound to trigger an
arms race targeted at the outer space. It can be said with certainty that
unilateral-ism not only cannot fundamentally solve the problem concerning
nuclear proliferation, but also will not enable the United States to get
real security.
As a matter of fact, such an attempt of dominating the world cannot be
countenanced in the United States itself. Many Americans are aware that a
unilateral United States is bound to be an isolated United States, such a
United States is inconsistent with the fundamental security and interests of
the general public of the United States. A French political commentator's
article published recently in the International Herald Tribune pointed out,
most Americans dismiss with a laugh Washington elite's outmoded fond dream
of dominating the world.
Judged from the global and US domestic passive reaction, the Bush
administration's foreign policy can hardly be based fully on the pipe dream
of unilateral-ism. Realistic compromise may have to be made to the existing
US foreign policy in the course of its implementation.
****
New Rules Proposed for Nation's Population and Family Planning Law
In accordance with actual situation, one couple may legally and reasonably
arrange to have a second child, said Hu Guangbao, deputy director of Law
Commission of the National People's Congress (NPC). This was mentioned
Tuesday in the report of the draft amendment on the law of national
population and family planning to the ongoing 22nd session of the Standing
Committee of the NPC.
In his report, Hu said that the country still encourages the policy of 'late
marriage and late childbirth' and 'one child for one couple'.
As to the issue of second childbearing, various provinces, autonomous
regions and municipalities should specify their own regulations as local
economic, cultural and population situation stands.
He stressed that the family planning is a basic policy in China, and it must
be carried out according to the law and without fail. For it is of great
significance in a harmonized development of population and economy, society,
resources and environment, to stabilize low childbirth rate, safeguard
personal legal rights and interests and promote national prosperity and
advancement.
In the end, Hu said that the law commission suggests having an additional
clause written into the draft amendments. The local governments and staffs
should do the work strictly "in accordance with the law and administer the
law in a civilized way without violating the personal legal rights. He also
proposed that 'discrimination and maltreatment to female babies should be
strictly forbidden' and this should be added into the draft amendment too.
****
Vietnam Party Official Meets Chinese Delegation
Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Vu Khoan has
expressed delight at the development of the time-honoured relationship
between the Communist Parties and governments of Vietnam and China.
Mr Khoan was speaking to visiting Deputy Secretary of the Guangxi Zhuang
Autonomous Region's Committee of the Communist Party of China, Liu Qibao, in
Hanoi on June 25.
The CPV Secretary said the Vietnam-China relations have been developing
particularly well of late, with both countries standing by the principles of
"good neighbourliness, comprehensive co-operation, long-lasting stability
and a vision towards the future".
He expressed his hope that co-operation between China and Vietnam,
especially between Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Vietnam's
localities, would continue to develop in the interest of the two countries.
Mr Khoan's view was fully shared by Mr Liu Qibao, who is leading a
delegation of the Communist Party of China on a visit to Vietnam from June
21.
Mr Liu warmly congratulated the Vietnamese people for the great achievements
they recorded during the process of renovation under the CPV's leadership.
Earlier, the Chinese delegation had working sessions with the CPV Central
Committee's Commission for External Relations and Commission for Ideology
and Culture. They also worked with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and
Industry and visited Ho Chi Minh City and central Thua Thien-Hue province.
****
Russian Presidential Aide Warns of New Nuclear Proliferation
Former Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev warned Tuesday that several
nations could develop nuclear weapons in the next decade and suggested that
stricter arms controls are needed, a news report said.
"About 12 types of ballistic missiles capable of reaching Russian territory
are in the development, manufacture or deployment stage in threshold
countries," Sergeyev, now an aide to Russian President Putin, was quoted by
the Interfax news agency as saying. "This means that the security of Russia
will be more vulnerable than, for example, that of the U.S."
He did not name any countries, but said several could become nuclear states
by 2010-2015.
Sergeyev visited the United States last week and met with top American
officials to press Russia's opposition to U.S. proposals for a national
missile defense. The shield would require amending or abandoning the 1972
Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, which bans nationwide defenses on the
principle that countries won't launch nuclear attacks if they face certain
retaliation.
Russia warns that the U.S. move would prompt a new arms race and render its
own arsenal ineffective. Washington insists the system would be aimed at
smaller potential nuclear states such as North Korea and Iraq.
Sergeyev, a former head of Russia's strategic missile force, suggested
stronger measures are needed to prevent nuclear proliferation.
****
Russia Test-Fires Ballistic Missile
Russia's Strategic Rocket Forces on Wednesday successfully test-fired a
ballistic missile from the Baikonur cosmodrome in the former Soviet republic
of Kazakstan, military officials said.
The RS-18 intercontinental ballistic missile, known as SS-19 in the West,
was launched midmorning Wednesday. After flying 4,340 miles it hit the
designated target on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia's Far East, the
military said in a statement carried by the Interfax and ITAR-Tass news
agency.
According to Interfax, Russia currently has 140 RS-18 missiles, aged from 16
to 27 years, and their number will be reduced to 105 after scheduled cuts.
Russia leases the Baikonur cosmodrome from Kazakstan for both civilian and
military launches.
****
Foreign Weapons Will Not Be Able to Hinder Reunification: Experts
Military experts said Tuesday Taiwan
<http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/province/taiwan.html> 's recent
test-firing of U.S. Patriot missiles and its plans to procure foreign
weapons could only inflate the arrogance of Taiwan separatists, heighten the
tensions across the strait, but will fail to stop China's reunification.
In the first comment from military experts on the Chinese mainland since the
June 20 tests, experts also said they will not make the Chinese people waver
in their determination to safeguard the country's sovereignty and
territorial integrity.
Chen Hu, a weapons expert with the "World Military Affairs," the most
popular military magazine on the mainland, said the " Patriot-II" missiles
are an improved version of the Patriot missiles the United States
<http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/data/usa.html> used in the Gulf War,
which have all- weather, all-airspace and multi-purpose combat capability.
They are also the only type out of Taiwan's missiles that have anti-missile
capability, and the only anti-missile missile in the world with war
experience, said Chen.
The experts said the successful interception of dummy ballistic missiles by
Patriot missiles does not mean they have developed mature capability against
ballistic missiles.
"Anti-ballistic missiles remain a worldwide problem in terms of current air
defense technology," he said.
He said advanced ballistic missiles could travel at a speed 10 times the
velocity of sound, thus the time for the anti-missile system to issue
warning and intercept would be extremely short, bringing great difficulty in
intercepting.
There is no mature air defense system in the world that offers effective
interception capability, he added.
Li Li, an expert of the Chinese People's Liberation Army University of
National Defense, said the dummy missiles used by Taiwan's military are far
from the performance of real ballistic missiles.
Therefore, the test-firing has in no way proved that Taiwan has acquired
anti-missile capability.
"The legend of Patriot missiles' victory over Scud missiles in the Gulf War
is only the propaganda made by the United States through mass media," said
Li.
"As a matter of fact, 'the Patriot missiles basically failed to produce
effective interception of the Scud missiles."
Hu Siyuan, associate professor with the university, said the test-firing was
designed by the Taiwan authorities to increase its military capability
against reunification with the mainland.
Other experts said the tests also displayed the two following connotative
purposes of the Taiwan authorities.
The authorities attempted to bind itself on the chariot of the U.S. Theater
Missile Defense System (TMD) and further increase its strength by relying on
foreign forces, they said.
It also aimed to send a wrong signal to the general public in Taiwan that
its troops are capable of defending mainland missile attacks, said the
experts.
The United States side is certainly happy to test the performance of the
missiles stored for a long period of time overseas, which were purchased
with Taiwan taxpayers' money, according to the experts.
Taiwan has become the world's largest weaponry buyer in recent years by
purchasing advanced weapons from the United States and other countries, they
said.
It is with these foreign-made weapons and foreign backing, the Taiwan
separatists are more than ever feeling safer and publicly challenging the
peace across the Taiwan Straits, said the experts.
They went on to say that reunification of the motherland is the common
aspiration of all Chinese people, including the people of Taiwan, and the
historic trend is unstoppable by any force whatsoever.
****
Demonstrators Continues to Protest Extradition of Milosevic
Thousands of supporters of the former Yugoslavian leader Slobodan Milosevic
continued their demonstration here Wednesday night to protest the federal
decree to extradite him to the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague.
During the demonstration, which was organized by the Socialist Party of
Serbia (SPS), people held banners with slogans such as " Free Milosevic" and
"No Extradition of Yugoslav Citizens to the Hague Tribunal."
Later, in front of the parliament and government buildings of Serbia, the
protesters handed over to government representatives their requests for
releasing Milosevic and abolishing the extradition decree, which was passed
last Saturday by the Yugoslav government.
The decree on extradition has paved the way for transferring Milosevic to
the tribunal.
On Tuesday, Zoran Djindjic, prime minister of Serbia, said that Milosevic
could be handed over to The Hague on Friday in accordance with the
simplified legal procedures.
The move has met with great opposition from the SPS which is chaired by
Milosevic.
Milosevic, who has been in jail since April 1 on charges of corruption and
abuse of power, is expected to attend a hearing held by the Belgrade
District Court on Wednesday.
Yugoslavia has been under intense Western pressure, particularly from the
United States, to agree to hand over Milosevic to the tribunal before an
international donors' conference scheduled for Friday.
****
President Jiang Zemin to Visit Moscow July 15-18
China's President Jiang Zemin will visit Moscow on July 15-18 for talks with
his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, ITAR-TASS cited diplomatic sources
as saying Wednesday.
During the visit, Jiang and Putin will sign a new cooperation agreement to
replace one that expired some two decade ago, before the Soviet Union's
downfall.
International strategic stability and regional cooperation issue will
dominate the Jiang-Putin talks, ITAR-TASS said.
The two leaders last met earlier this month in Shanghai for a Central Asian
cooperation summit.
The two country's defense ministers then signed an official declaration
supporting the 1972 AMB treaty, which the United States is seeking to amend
in order to begin testing a new controversial missile defense shield.
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