Threats only isolate China's leaders

[dArKeR]

Tuesday, May 25, 2004,Page 8


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Although President Chen Shui-bian's (???) inauguration speech sought to address issues from all sides and to appeal for a consensus among the majority in Taiwan and concerned members of the international community, a speech to please everyone was an impossibility. Given the varied controversies surrounding cross-strait relations, it will be an achievement if the speech allays internal disputes and dispels the international community's fear of an outright confrontation. As for China's reaction, Taiwan only needs to observe but not fret, since China will never be satisfied unless Taiwan shows the white flag.

Yesterday, Zhang Mingqing (???), spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council, made an announcement parroting China's May 17 statement. The old tactic of saber-rattling failed to register a response. Taiwan's lukewarm reaction to Zhang's announcement shows the flagging effect of China's intimidation. Compared with the hard words of the May 17 statement that prompted the TAIEX to plunge by 294 points, Zhang's announcement only caused the TAIEX to slip 22 points. During Zhang's press conference, Taiwan's stock market even rebounded after negative factors drained away. Apparently Taiwan is growing immune to China's threats. China's May 17 statement was only able to escalate cross-strait tensions because China had kept a low profile during the presidential election to keep from repeating its mistake of creating a pro-Chen backlash in the 2000 presidential election.

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