Beijing rules out visit by Chen

Beijing says Taiwan President Chen Shiu-bian belongs to a group of 'stubborn separatists'

By Willy Wo-Lap Lam
Senior China Analyst

(CNN) -- Beijing has ruled out allowing Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian to visit the mainland, placing him in the category of "stubborn separatists."

The spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office, Zhang Mingqing, said there would be no relaxation of Beijing's stance of no contact with Chen's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) unless it renounced its pro-independence charter and recognized the one China principle.

"The possibility of the DDP forming an [official] delegation to visit the mainland does not exist," the official media on Thursday quoted Zhang as saying.

The TAO spokesman was clarifying a speech given by Vice-Premier Qian Qichen a week ago in which Qian said the majority of DPP members should be differentiated with "an extremely small minority of stubborn pro-independence elements" and that DPP members with "appropriate status" could visit the mainland.

While refusing to lay down precise definitions for "appropriate status," Zhang said both Chen and Vice-Premier Annette Lu did not belong to the category of the majority of DPP members.

Zhang also refuted speculation that Beijing had relaxed its insistence on the one-China principle.

No help

In a statement, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said Zhang's statement "was of no help to the development of cross-Straits relations."

Several DPP stalwarts have said in private the latest statements from Beijing were an effort to sow dissension among the party's different factions.

Meanwhile, Qian pointed out at a meeting of Taiwan affairs cadres on Wednesday that Beijing would raise its alert against the "incremental separatist" strategies of the Chen administration.

Qian reiterated that national reunification was one of Beijing's three major tasks for the new century.

The vice-premier also urged Taiwan affairs officials to "unify their thoughts" behind the central leadership's policies.

Political analysts in Beijing said Qian and Zhang wanted to dispel excessive optimism about cross-Straits ties generated by Qian's remarks last Thursday.

They said Qian was also anxious to discourage speculation Beijing had shelved its goal of reabsorbing Taiwan.

However, Beijing is expected to entice more moderate DPP members to visit the mainland in private capacities.