BEIJING, May 24: China turned the screw on Monday on Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian, warning he was walking a "dangerous road" and again threatening to "completely annihilate" any moves towards Taiwan independence.

"Chen Shui-bian is on the road to independence. This is a very dangerous road," Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Zhang Mingqing said at a briefing. "If he doesn't choose to rein in his horses then our only choice is to pay whatever price is necessary to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity...

"There will be no peace for Taiwan independence and there will be no stability for splittists." Mr Zhang's comments were the first from his office on Mr Chen's May 20 speech beginning his second four-year term last week.

However, they were largely based on a May 17 statement by the cabinet-level Taiwan Affairs Office which reaffirmed Beijing's stance toward Taiwan's independence.

"There is no fundamental change in our position on Taiwan..., Chen Shui-bian must accept the 'one China principle'," Mr Zhang said. "Like it says in the (May 17) statement, we will completely annihilate the plot for Taiwan independence."

During his largely conciliatory inauguration speech, Chen refused to rule out eventual reunification with China and renewed a pledge made in 2000 not to seek independence or a referendum on independence within the coming years.

Beijing has largely ignored the comments. On Monday, China warned it would "smash" any Taiwan military aircraft that crossed over into mainland airspace, the pro-Beijing Hong Kong daily Wen Wei Po said. -AFP