Referendum on Chinese missiles set for March

TAICHUNG (Taiwan) Dec 7: President Chen Shui-bian on Sunday said a referendum on removing Chinese ballistic missiles targeting the island would go before Taiwanese voters in March.

Speaking to a rally of some 100,000 supporters, Chen said it was his responsibility to call the vote to let Beijing know the true voice of the 23 million Taiwanese — opposing continued military threats against Taiwan.

“For the sake of the nation and the 23 million people here ... I have the duty and responsibility to hold the defensive referendum on March 20 next year to demand that China withdraw the missiles and renounce the use of forces against us,” he said.

He said the referendum, first announced by him on November 29, was a measure “to defend the country and the people,” and shouted to the cheering crowd: “It is to oppose China’s missiles and to oppose war!”

Taiwan’s parliament had passed the Referendum Law on November 27, allowing the president to hold plebiscites on national issues.

China fears that Taiwan might use the law as an opportunity to seek independence.

Chen said China had claimed the island as a part of the mainland and persistently threatened to retake the island. This was also evident by its deployment of 496 missiles targeting Taiwan.

Beijing traditionally has viewed Taiwan as a breakaway province and has warned it against attempts to underwrite independence. If Chen pushed through a referendum for independence, war would be inevitable, Beijing said.

Chen’s plan to hold the referendum next year has also unnerved Washington which has warned him against any action that could change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.

Under strong pressure from Washington, a long-time arms supplier and informal backer of Taipei, Chen played down his referendum game by saying it would not involve independence.

He told the New York Times in an interview Friday that the referendum would merely involve the island’s demand that Beijing remove the missiles and renounce the use of force - a plan which might help tone down the level of provocation, observers say.

On Sunday, Chen said he reminded the US of the 1962 Cuba missile crisis in an attempt to make Washington understand the motive behind his plans for the referendum.

“The United States faced 13 alarming days of the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. With 496 missiles targeting us, every day is alarming for 23 million people in Taiwan,” he said.

Meanwhile, opposition parties and some scholars have accused Chen of using the referendum to irritate China and increase his popularity in Taiwan ahead of the next presidential elections also scheduled for March 20 of next year.

Speaking at a rally with more than 100,000 supporters, Lien said Taiwan and China should hold arms control talks similar to those conducted by the US and the Soviet Union in 1969. However, he also said “China should unilaterally declare it will not use force against Taiwan.”—dpa