Taiwan’s ‘UN membership referendum’ to cause tension: Wen

BEIJING—Taiwan authorities’ attempt on “UN membership referendum” will cause tension across the Taiwan Straits, said Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao here Tuesday.
The “referendum” will deny the reality that Taiwan and the mainland belong to one China, he said at a press conference after China’s parliament ended its first annual full session. It will jeopardize relations across the Straits, harm the fundamental interests of people on both sides, and threat peace across the Straits and even in the Asia-Pacific region, he said.
Premier Wen reiterated that all issues concerning China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity should be decided by all Chinese people, including Taiwan compatriots. “No one could ever succeed in the attempt to separate Taiwan from China and such kind of attempts is doomed to fail,” he said.
Admitting that the situation in Taiwan is “in a sensitive stage,” the Premier said what interests him most is to maintain peace and stability across the Straits and promote common development on both sides. This should be the mainstream and main chord in growing cross-Straits relations, he said.
On the precondition of one China, the mainland hopes to restore peace talks as soon as possible, the Premier said, “In such negotiations, whatever topics could be put on the table, including such important issues as putting an end to the state of hostility between the two sides.”
The door of dialogue still opens to Dalai, so long as he gives up the position for “Tibet Independence”, so long as he recognizes Tibet and Taiwan as inalienable parts of the Chinese territory, said Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao here on Tuesday.
“We can see clearly from these two key issues how hypocritical the Dalai Lama is,” said the Premier at a press conference upon conclusion of the annual session of the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature.
However, Wen noted, China’s original proposition is still unchanged. “We mean what we say,” he said. “We need to watch what the Dalai Lama does. It is up to his actions.” There are ample facts and plenty of evidence to prove that the riot in Lhasa was organized, premeditated, masterminded and incited by the Dalai Lama clique, said Wen.
“Local government and competent departments have been strict keeping with the Constitution and laws, and excised extreme restraint,” he said, adding that the local government have taken proper measures to quiet down the incident and protected the interests of the people in Lhasa and in Tibet. The consistent claims made by the Dalai clique that they pursue not independence but peaceful dialogue is “nothing but lies”, said Wen.
Their claim of the “cultural genocide” in Tibet is also nothing but a lie, Wen told reporters. There are ample facts and plenty of evidence to prove that the recent riot in Lhasa was organized, premeditated, masterminded and incited by the Dalai Lama clique, said Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Beijing Tuesday.
On March 14, violence involving beating, smashing property, looting and arson broke out in Lhasa, which was aimed to undermine the upcoming Beijing Olympics, Wen told reporters at a press conference following the conclusion of the annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the country’s top legislature.
In the Lhasa incident, violent rioters injured, or even killed innocent people on the street with extremely crude means, smashed out vehicles and public facilities, torched down private houses, stores and schools, he said. “This incident have seriously disrupted order in Lhasa and inflicted heavy losses of lives and property for the people,” he said.
“Local government and competent departments have been strict keeping with the Constitution and laws, and excised extreme restraint,” he said, adding that the local government have taken proper measures to quiet down the incident and protected the interests of the people in Lhasa and in Tibet.

—Xinhua