http://www.insidechina.com/news.php3?id=141017

-- boo (boo@home.com), March 08, 2000

Answers

Chinese Army Asked To Prepare For Taiwan War, As Leaders Talk Peace

BEIJING, Mar 8, 2000 -- (Agence France Presse) China's military has been asked to "prepare actively" for war with Taiwan, the army daily reported Wednesday, as top leaders kept up a verbal barrage mixed with talk of peace ahead of Taiwan's presidential elections.

The call to the army was made during a meeting of senior military delegates to the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), the Liberation Army Daily said.

At the meeting presided over by Defense Minister Chi Haotian Tuesday, "12 delegates called for active and detailed preparations for a military conflict against Taiwan," the daily said.

Central Military Commission member Fu Quanyou was quoted as saying "we must absolutely strengthen the sense of the army's role and prepare with all out efforts for the military conflict."

"If pro-independence forces seek to divide the country, we will be obliged to take very drastic measures," said Fu, who is also Chief of Staff of the People's Liberation Army.

Meanwhile, Chinese President Jiang Zemin Wednesday said he was "optimistic" over the prospects for peaceful reunification with the island and failed to spell out precise conditions on using force against Taiwan.

Jiang's remarks came at his first meeting with the foreign press since Beijing warned Taiwan in a White Paper last month, of war if the island dragged its feet on reunification talks and pursued an independence agenda.

He refused to define what would constitute Taiwan independence and to set a time limit on negotiations, saying, "today I want to keep you guessing, I don't want to go into any detail,"

Taiwan has enjoyed de facto independence from China's one party communist system since 1949, while Beijing has insisted that the island is a rebel province.

"I'm an optimist, I believe that the Chinese nation is so great that in the end there'll definitely be reunification," Jiang told reporters at the start of a meeting with Hong Kong delegates to the NPC ((c) 2000 Agence France Presse)

-- semper paratus (back_here_with@my.pals), March 08, 2000.

how absolutely frightening to the poor taiwanese.

-- tt (cuddluppy@aol.com), March 08, 2000.

Oceania is the enemy. They have ALWAYS been the enemy. I hate them!

-- INever (inevercheckmy@onebox.com), March 08, 2000.

All warfare is based on deception. Therefore, when capable of attacking, feign incapacity; when active in moving troops, feign inactivity. Sun Tzu: Art of War

IMO, I think the Chinese are full of shit. They know the consequences of attacking Taiwain.

-- ~***~ (~***~@earth.ebe), March 09, 2000.

I mean Taiwan.

-- ~***~ (~***~@earth.ebe), March 09, 2000.