-Caveat Lector- <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/"> </A> -Cui Bono?- from: http://www.aci.net/kalliste/ Click Here: <A HREF="http://www.aci.net/kalliste/">The Home Page of J. Orlin Grabbe</A> ----- China vs. Taiwan China Warns Taiwan Not to Elect "Tricky Chen" Don't even think about declaring independence, slaves. We have missiles. BEIJING - In a last-ditch effort to influence Taiwan's presidential election this weekend, Prime Minister Zhu Rongji said Wednesday that the Chinese people were ''willing to use all their blood'' to prevent the island's independence. But at the same time, the prime minister played down a recent Chinese policy paper that threatened military action against the island, saying, ''There's nothing new in there.'' The future of Taiwan, which holds elections Saturday, dominated Mr. Zhu's 90-minute news conference to mark the end of this year's session of China's Parliament. In language that was, on balance, more incendiary than calming, Mr. Zhu restated the government's position. It was part of a monthlong campaign by the Chinese to use fighting words to pressure Taiwan candidates and voters. And Mr. Zhu made it clear that his government had strong preferences. ''No matter who comes into power in Taiwan, Taiwan will never be allowed to be independent,'' he said. If the ''people who favor independence'' win, he later added, ''it may trigger a war between the two sides and undermine peace.'' There were several such references to Chen Shui-bien, candidate of the Democratic Progressive Party, which has supported independence in the past. Although Mr. Chen has taken a more nuanced position in this election, Chinese officials and party newspapers have lobbed numerous thinly veiled attacks at him, saying that he is ''tricking'' Taiwan's voters and is still at heart ''a separatist.'' ''His mainland policy is merely a tactic to win the election, to pick up votes and deceive voters,'' said Xu Bodong, a Chinese foreign policy expert, on state television Wednesday. Mr. Chen is in a tight three-way race for the presidency of Taiwan, which the mainland government considers a Chinese province that is destined for reunification. None of the candidates currently favors independence and Beijing's threats are aimed to keep it that way. Mr. Zhu was passionate as he spoke, but it was an odd role for the government's leading economic reformer, who has never been its point man on Taiwan. About halfway through the meeting, the usually straight-talking Mr. Zhu seemed exasperated and refused to answer further questions on the subject, although reporters kept bringing up the issue. Again and again, Mr. Zhu repeated that China did not fear war, if needed. And he lambasted foreign experts who have recently said that the Chinese Army did not have the military might to succeed. ''They do not know the history of China and that the Chinese people will use all of their blood to defend the unity of the Chinese nation,'' he said. On several occasions, Mr. Zhu declined to reassure Taiwan that no violence would precede or follow the elections. For example, when a Taiwan journalist asked if the Chinese had plans this week to conduct military exercises near Taiwan, a tactic they had used four years ago to influence Taiwan's last presidential election, he said: ''We'll just wait and see. But don't be in a big hurry because there are only two days left.'' But at other points, Mr. Zhu reiterated the government's position that its goal is peaceful reunification, and said that the controversy surrounding the policy paper released last month was unwarranted. That document said China would attack Taiwan if the island refused ''indefinitely'' to negotiate on reunification. Mr. Zhu said the document, which has enraged many U.S. politicians to the point that it is threatening China's bid to enter the World Trade Organization, did not represent a change to a more war-like position and ''contained nothing new.'' He said that position was first stated by Deng Xiaoping in the 1980s and he accused anti-China forces ''in a certain nation'' of using an innocuous position paper that was meant to be a ''comprehensive and detailed exposition of China's long-standing policy'' to their political advantage. Still, he expressed hope that the current tensions would not scuttle China's WTO bid or impede the development of U.S.-China relations. He said he did not want to connect the Taiwan question ''with other issues related to China-U.S. relations.'' But he qualified even declarations of brotherhood with vaguely threatening undertones: ''We trust that our Taiwan compatriots will make a sensible choice,'' he said. But he added that if they did not, they might not ''get another opportunity.'' International Herald Tribune, March 16, 2000 Hillary's Goat Curry Pakistan Bans All Political Rallies Next action to honor Clinton's visit: a ban on citizen guns. THE military regime in Pakistan yesterday imposed a nationwide ban on all political meetings, strikes and processions following a lengthy cabinet meeting. The move comes 10 days before President Clinton is due to visit the country. People were stunned by the order, which comes five months after General Pervaiz Musharraf ousted the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a military coup and imposed a state of emergency in the country. Although the country's Constitution is suspended, the military has so far gone out of its way to ensure normal political activity. Until now there has been no ban on political protests or strikes and it is not known yet how press freedom will be affected. Javed Jabaar, the Adviser on Information to the government said last night that India's hostility and the need to maintain economic continuity made the ban necessary. He said: "The hostility of the neighbour [India] has taken a very serious turn over the last few months. India leaves no stone unturned to damage us internationally. Tensions between India and Pakistan have been running high since last summer." However the government may also be worried by the threat from Mr Sharif's party, the Pakistan Muslim League, to stage a demonstration in Islamabad on March 25, the day President Clinton arrives. Islamic fundamentalist parties are also threatening to launch protests during his visit. Last week lawyers went on a one day strike protesting the killing of Iqbal Raad, a lawyer for Mr Sharif, who is in jail and faces charges of kidnapping and attempted murder. Yesterday Pakistan's independent human rights commission attacked slammed the country's human rights record, particularly its treatment of women. In its annual report, it said over 1,000 women were murdered last year in so called 'honour killings', where women are killed on allegations of impropriety. The London Telegraph, March 16, 2000 ----- Aloha, He'Ping, Om, Shalom, Salaam. Em Hotep, Peace Be, All My Relations. Omnia Bona Bonis, Adieu, Adios, Aloha. Amen. Roads End <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soap-boxing! 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. 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