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Beijing/Taipei: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao offered yesterday to resume talks with self-ruled Taiwan, but his plea was ignored in a barrage of anti-China rhetoric ahead of Saturday's presidential election on the island.
China and Taiwan have been ruled separately since defeated Nationalist forces fled to the island at the end of a civil war in 1949. Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.
Wen told his news conference in Beijing at the end of the annual meeting of parliament that he wanted talks as soon as possible, but also warned Taiwan that passage of a contentious referendum on UN membership would disrupt ties. "We hope to resume peace talks across the Straits as soon as possible under the one-China principle," Wen said.
Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party denounced Wen's remarks. "Wen Jiabao has to realise the future of Taiwan is determined by Taiwan people and any interference in our rights is going to be opposed by people here," said Lai I-chung, the DPP's deputy international affairs director.
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