World News Taiwan, China at loggerheads over council

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BEIJING (AP) - China on Feb. 28 denounced the Taiwanese president's move to scrap an agency dedicated to uniting Taiwan with China, accusing him of aggravating tensions and risking disaster.

Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian announced Feb. 27 that he was terminating the National Unification Council and doing away with its guidelines, which commit Taiwan to eventual unification with the mainland.

He said the council and guidelines lacked popular support because they "took away the right of free choice from the people."

Beijing has responded by releasing a statement saying Chen "is determined to push 'Taiwan independence' to create antagonism and conflict within Taiwan and across the strait. It will only bring disaster to Taiwan society."

The two sides split amid civil war in 1949. Beijing has threatened repeatedly to attack Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, if it moves toward making its de facto independence permanent.

Beijing has also called on Washington, Taiwan's only major ally, to oppose any moves toward formal independence by the island.

台湾独立への動きを中国非難

中国政府は2月28日、台湾の陳水扁総統が国家統一委員会を終了したことを非難した。

Shukan ST: March 10, 2006

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