BEIJING, Feb 28: Chinese President Hu Jintao said on Tuesday a decision by Taiwan abolishing guidelines for unification with China marked a ‘dangerous step’ towards independence.

“This is a dangerous step on the road towards Taiwan independence,” Mr Hu said, according to Chinese state television.

“We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification, but we will absolutely not allow Taiwan to break away from the motherland,” Mr Hu was quoted as telling visiting Swiss Defence Minister Samuel Schmid.

“Any person who gets on the wrong side of history is doomed to failure,” said the Chinese president.

It is rare for China’s leaders to directly criticise the island.

His comments came after Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian’s scrapped on Monday the National Unification Council and guidelines that were set up 15 years ago to work towards an eventual reunification of Taiwan with the mainland.

“This is a serious provocation against the one-China principle, insisted on by the world community, and against peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits,” Mr Hu said. The one-China principle states that there is only one China, and both Taiwan and the mainland are part of it.

Mr Chen announced the decision to scrap the council and guidelines and formally signed the papers to endorse it on Tuesday, despite warnings from Beijing not to do so.—AFP