Taipei, July 26 (CNA) Republic of China President Lee Teng-hui solemnly clarified on Monday that the special "state-to-state relationship" statement he used to characterize Taipei-Beijing ties is not the same as "two states."
In a meeting with a Japanese delegation to a Taipei seminar on peace and security in the Taiwan Strait, Lee reiterated his July 9 statement to the Deutsche Welle radio station that Beijing should treat Taiwan as a sovereign state.
However, he declined to summarize his idea of "special state-to-state relations" as "two states" as some have done, saying:
"As a matter of fact, I didn't mention `two states.' I do hope people will pore over my answers to questions from the Deutsche Welle, so that they can see exactly what I mean."
He recalled the announcement he made during his first term of presidency in 1991 to terminate the Period of National Mobilization for Suppression of the Communist Rebellion, describing it as an act aimed at transforming the military confrontation between Taipei and Beijing into peaceful exchanges and dialogue.
"In short, we want to square up to reality," said Lee, adding that "peaceful national reunification is the eventual end pursued by our government and people," which is the reason why the ROC set up the National Unification Council in 1990.
He said he regretted that "Beijing has failed to match Taipei's friendly gesture thus far." Refusing to even renounce the threat of force against the island, it calls Taiwan a renegade province and considers the ROC as one of its local government administrations, said Lee.
Beijing's hegemonism toward Taiwan "is unacceptable to us," Lee continued.
Besides the survival, security of the nation and the protection of national interest which are the priority of the ROC, adherence to democracy and a struggle for national dignity as a sovereign state are also the responsibilities of the government, he said.
Calling liberty and democracy an irresistible worldwide trend, Lee said he strongly disapproves of the amount of emphasis Beijing places on nationalism and hegemonism.
He told his Japanese guests, led by former Japanese ambassador to Bangkok Hisahiko Okazaki, that "safeguarding the maximum benefit of the people and securing the maximum welfare for them" is the goal he has struggled toward throughout his political career, and that humanity and human rights are factors always to be reckoned with by political leaders.