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Article: Taiwan's Chen Backs Vote on Independence
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- August 4, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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Taiwan's president, Chen Shui-bian, said today that he supported
legislation for a referendum on whether the island should declare
independence from China.
Chen also issued the clearest definition to date of his views of
Taiwan's relations with China, fundamentally rejecting China's
position that Taiwan and China belong to the same country. "Taiwan,
China, on each side [of the Taiwan Strait] are different countries,"
Chen said.
The comments constituted the strongest anti-China statements made
by Chen since he took office in May 2000 as the first member of
Taiwan's opposition to become president of the island of 22 million
people. In his inauguration speech, Chen pledged that he would not ...