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China warns of "drastic measures" on Taiwan

BEIJING: Chinese President Jiang Zemin warned of "drastic measures" on Saturday if Taiwan delayed talks on reunification indefinitely, pressuring the island two weeks before its presidential elections.

"If the Taiwan authorities indefinitely reject negotiations on the peaceful resolution of the reunification question, then the Chinese government will be forced to take all possible drastic measures," the official Xinhua news agency quoted Jiang as saying.

He stopped short of threatening military invasion.

In a speech to members of an advisory body to China's parliament two weeks before Taiwan's March 18 presidential elections, he referred to supporters of Taiwan independence as "devils".

Last month China issued a policy "white paper" that warned it would take military action against Taiwan if the island put off reunification talks.

Jiang urged Taiwan to resume discussions but at the same time warned that foreign support for the island's independence was doomed to failure.

"We hope, when the conditions are ripe, to resume dialogue and negotiations on the basis of the 'one China' principle," he said.

"No matter what person, political party or political faction or what external force is supporting them from behind the scenes, it will not succeed and is doomed to failure."

None of Taiwan's three leading presidential candidates has backed away from the controversial "two states" theory presented by current President Lee Teng-hui.

Lee has infuriated China by insisting it will only negotiate with the Chinese mainland as a sovereign equal.

U.S. lawmakers have said China's latest threat could complicate its efforts to join the World Trade Organisation.

"The Chinese people have never been afraid of devils and do not believe in evil acts," Jiang said. "We firmly oppose any of their evil actions which harm the basic interests of the Chinese nation."

China has considered Taiwan to be a breakaway province since the Nationalist government retreated to the island in 1949.

It conducted missile tests in waters off the island to intimidate voters ahead of the last elections in 1996, but instead helped Lee to a landslide victory.-Reuters