Taipei, July 29 (CNA) Vice President Annette Lu told former ambassador to mainland China James Lilley Tuesday that even if Taiwan holds a referendum, it would never be so rash as to create tension between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
Vice President Lu made the remarks while elaborating on President Chen Shui-bian's recent remarks regarding a referendum when she was hosting a luncheon in honor of Lilley, who is currently the senior researcher of the think tank American Enterprise Institute.
President Chen has said that conducing a referendum will be unavoidable, and that it would be held even if it meant losing the presidency.
Vice President Lu noted that after three decades of democratic development, Taiwan has moved toward liberalization and democratization, but has never been able to hold a referendum, although such a vote is an indispensable part of human rights and democracy.
She noted that President Chen publicly declared support for a nuclear-free homeland and voiced his opposition to nuclear energy in his inaugural speech on May 20, 2000. His announcement of the suspension of the one-third completed Fourth Nuclear Power Plant later that year triggered a political storm, and the president later was forced under tremendous pressure to restart the project, Lu said.
But the president had promised to listen to the voice of the people, and this is the reason why he wants to hold a referendum on the fate of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant.
Lu stressed that another reason that compels the president to speak out for a referendum is the obstruction of mainland China, which hindered the World Health Organization (WHO) from sending experts to Taiwan to help contain the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARIS) earlier this year.
In addition, mainland China's delegates to the WHO's annual Conference publicly humiliated Taiwan by saying that the island had no right to join the organization. The mainland Chinese officials also lied publicly that the mainland had taken care of the people of Taiwan. Beijing's delegate Sha Zukang's had asked, "Who will care for you Taiwan people? " Lu claimed that this was a slap in the face of Taiwan.
She said that the president felt that he had heard the voice of the people, but not so Beijing, so that he had to let Beijing know unequivocally what Taiwan people want via a referendum. "We didn't ask for more, we were only asking for the basic right that a member of the international community should enjoy, " the vice president said.
Lu said that the United States had been preoccupied with the war on Iraq, and she hoped that Lilley will now convey how the outbreak of SARS had changed the views of Taiwan people on cross-strait relations and mainland China when he returns to the U.S.
Lu stressed that before SARS, some regarded mainland China as a friendly country and a vast market, but many people have now been awakened to the truth. "The biggest difference between Beijing and Taipei is that we attach great importance to human lives and human rights, while Beijing ignores human lives and doesn't care about human rights, " Lu said.
Lu expressed the hope that friends in the U.S. will "understand fully and respect Taiwan's feelings."
Lu said that the president certainly knows the importance of national security and stable cross-strait relations. "Even if a referendum is conducted, please be assured that we will never cause tensions between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, " Lu said. "We will do everything possible to avoid creating unnecessary tensions."
Lu said that the premise of one of the "five noes" as outlined in President Chen's inaugural speech regarding not holding a referendum on the status of the nation apropos independence or unification with the mainland, is that Beijing does not use force against Taiwan.
Lu said that Taiwan had exercised the utmost restraint and has not ask for compensation from Beijing for spreading SARS to Taiwan. "But Beijing has steadfastly humiliated the people of Taiwan, and a referendum will duly convey the will of the people on the island, so that mainland Chinese leaders will know clearly what is on people's minds, " Lu said. "It is only natural that the world should respect the will of the people on Taiwan," she continued.
Lilley said the remarks by the vice president were valuable, especially the part on the humiliation imposed on the people of Taiwan, which he said is a long-standing stance of Beijing: squeezing Taiwan internationally.
Public health is basically a humanitarian issue and is by no means a political issue, the former Taipei director of the American Institute in Taiwan said.
He said that the most important thing is that Taiwan and the United States work together, and the U.S. should also give Taiwan confidence, including a firm U.S. stance on the support of Taiwan's participation in international organizations, and also give Taiwan confidence regarding its security.