Chinese Experts Say Taiwan President’s Visit to Spratlys “Electioneering Stunt”

Text of report by Hong Kong newspaper Wen Wei Po website on 31 January

[Report by Reporter Ke Chong: "Experts: Chen Shui-bian Provokes Dispute, But Effects Will Be Limited"]

There are recent reports in the Taiwan media that Chen Shui-bian may be boarding an Air Force transport plane to Taiping Island of the Nansha [Spratlys] Islands to “claim sovereignty” over these islands. Experts here believe that this move of Chen Shui-bian’s is intended as an electioneering stunt pulled for the Democratic Progressive Party. It is also meant to prevent himself from being marginalized politically. The move may add new problems to sovereignty disputes over the Nansha Islands but will have very limited effect on China’s relations with its neighbouring countries.

Intended As An Electioneering Stunt for Democratic Progressive Party

Chu Jingtao, a Taiwan expert and research fellow with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told Wen Wei Po that for a “Taiwan independence” advocate like Chen Shui-bian to be suddenly playing the visit Taiping Island to “claim sovereignty” card when his term of office is about to end cannot but make people wonder whose “sovereignty” he is trying to claim. He said this not only posed a problem for the mainland but also rekindled and enlarged disputes between China and countries like Vietnam and the Philippines over the Nansha Islands.

Professor Jin Canrong, associate dean of the School of International Studies, Renmin University of China, pointed out to Wen Wei Po that since the move was initiated by Taiwan, and given that Taiwan is quite insignificant in the international arena and the dispute is an old issue which has been going on for many years, the whole thing may irritate and arouse protests from the countries concerned, but will have very limited effect on relations between the mainland and these countries.

Originally published by Wen Wei Po website, Hong Kong, in Chinese 31 Jan 08.

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