China rejects Taiwan peace talks

China today adamantly rejected Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian’s call for peace talks between the island and the mainland, characterising his overture instead as a bid for independence that could lead to disaster.

“Chen Shui-bian claims to want to ease tensions, but his remarks wantonly seek to create separate countries on each side of the Taiwan Strait,” said Zhang Mingqing, a spokesman for the Chinese government’s Taiwan Affairs Office. “Chen Shui-bian’s behaviour can only lead to disaster.”