Taipei, Sept. 20 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian said Monday that Taiwan cannot afford to have any illusions or engage in unrealistic thinking regarding mainland China as Beijing maintains the same mentality toward Taiwan even if the make-up of the mainland leadership has changed.
In response to mainland Chinese President Hu Jintao's succession to the chairmanship of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party Sunday, President Chen said that Communist China has not relented for a single day in bullying Taiwan with military intimidation and political attacks and in suppressing Taiwan in the international area.
Addressing a ceremony citing model ROC military personnel, Chen said that "Taiwan's national security is held in our own hands, " adding that "we cannot afford to engage in any wishful thinking that enemies will show us goodwill or that friends will come to our aid."
Chen said that after his recent visits to Central America, he became even more acutely aware that only by boosting Taiwan's diplomacy abroad and increasing the nation's visibility in the international community can Taiwan counterattack Beijing's suppression and uphold the nation's dignity and status.
Chen pointed out that Beijing has recently launched a "legal war" against Taiwan, trying to rezone Taiwan as a "special political region" under mainland China's jurisdiction by enacting a "unification law."
This attempt is aimed at creating a legal basis for the use of force by Beijing to take Taiwan, if necessary, Chen said, adding that all the people of Taiwan should heighten their vigilance and sense of crisis. "Only by being prepared can we avoid a war, " Chen stressed.
Chen reiterated that Taiwan has continued to make gestures of goodwill toward Beijing with the aim of stabilizing cross-strait relations and has called for the building of a mutual trust mechanism in an attempt to ease cross-strait tensions and create a "win-win" situation.
However, Chen said, Beijing has completely disregarded Taiwan's goodwill and its existence, aggravating differences and hostility across the strait and preventing the two sides from developing trust and amiability.
He assured the ROC military personnel that the government's efforts to beef up Taiwan's defensive capabilities are by no means aimed at engaging in an arms race with mainland China, pointing out that "only by strengthening our preparedness, can the people be protected and the country defended."