-Caveat Lector- Chinese Military Threaten Taiwan BEIJING (AP) - Vowing to defend every inch of Chinese territory, China's military today threatened to use force against Taiwan if President Lee Teng-hui declares independence on the island. In a sharply worded commentary run in newspapers nationwide, the military's newspaper, the Liberation Army Daily, said the armed forces stood ready to enforce a long-standing government policy to attack Taiwan, if need be, to uphold China's claim to the island. The commentary echoed warnings delivered Wednesday and carried in newspapers today by Defense Minister Chi Haotian. Chi, a career political commissar in the military, said the People's Liberation Army would ``smash any attempts to separate the country.'' The rhetoric is the most aggressive used by China's leaders since Lee provoked Chinese outrage Saturday by suggesting that China and Taiwan are separate, equal countries. The tone also underscored the military's strengthened hand over policy-making since NATO bombed the Chinese Embassy in Yugoslavia two months ago. Separated during a civil war 50 years ago, Beijing and Taipei have for years claimed to be part of ``one China'' - a concept that has kept Beijing from declaring war to retake the island. Although Lee maintains he still supports eventual reunification, his government this week declared the ``one China'' policy a hindrance to Taiwan. ``Every warrior in the entire army is furiously indignant over Lee Teng-hui's evil plot to separate the motherland,'' the Liberation Army Daily said in the front-page commentary. ``In the struggle between upholding unification and opposing separatism, we ... will not tolerate separatist conspiracies nor sit idly by to let even one inch of territory go,'' the newspaper said. The newspaper, which is run by the political office of the 2.8 million-member PLA, heaped scorn on Lee, accusing him of exposing ``his ugly face of separatism.'' In a sign of the military's influence, the Liberation Army Daily commentary was reprinted on the front-pages of all major national newspapers, including People's Daily, the authoritative voice of the ruling Communist Party. After NATO bombed the Chinese Embassy on May 7, conservatives in the party and the military accused reformist members of the leadership for being pro-American and not taking seriously U.S. attempts to contain China. Leaders have promised the military more funding to upgrade weaponry and protect China from foreign bullying. The Liberation Army said that the ``modernizing'' PLA has sufficient military strength and resolve to defend the nation's territorial integrity. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
