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Miss Hayo Rn1/12
Mr Cormor Сдата
15/12
NOVEMBER 1989
REPORT
TAIWAN NO 10
TAIWAN:
1-30 NOVEMBER
HKB 020 / 1
SUMMARY
38
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
23 JAN19iwan independence"
1990
China reacts strongly to the issue of
being raised in the election Rampaign on Taiwan.
INDEX
PA
Taiwan pushing hard for membership of international organisations, claims that the Asia Pacific Economic Conference has "little chance of succeeding" without its participation. Signs of lobbying for GATT membership.
Taiwan's first election campaign since the lifting of Martial Law is marred by outbreaks of violence against candidates but is generally conducted with unprecedented freedom and openness. The main opposition party seriously split over the issue of Taiwan independence.
CHINA/TAIWAN
1.
The formation of a new faction within Taiwan's leading opposition party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which is dedicated to independence for Taiwan brought sharp criticism from the Chinese side. An article in the overseas edition of the Chinese news magazine Liaowang stated that:
"if it (independence for Taiwan) really happens, the PRC authorities must respect the will of the people in the whole country, and react forcefully; this, I am afraid, would not be for the well being of the people in Taiwan".
A number of other incidents may also somewhat sour relations in the immediate future. The Taiwan Ministry of Defences Psychological Warfare Unit stated on 23 November that reports from the Chinese mainland that an explosive device attached to one of its propaganda carrying balloons had exploded and killed two young children were a "malicious" piece of Chinese communist misinformation designed to deter mainlanders from picking up Taiwan's leaflets. The Taiwan authorities have for some time been concerned about the number of weapons manufactured in China that are being picked up by the Taiwan police. On 18 November the police announced that they had cracked a firearms smuggling ring and confiscated 78 "blackstar" pistols made in China. They added that they had made many unavailing efforts to seek cooperation with the Chinese police through Interpol. A spokesman suggested that this was because the mainland Chinese authorities were behind the smuggling. On 27 November a Taiwan court sentenced two mainland Chinese sailors to death for murder. They had been members of a mixed mainland and Taiwan crew on a Taiwan fishing vessel which had mutinied and killed the captain. The vessel had originally put into Darwin, and the Australian authorties arranged for the extradition of the crew to Taiwan. The mainland members of the crew were apparently given the choice as to
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