Taipei, Oct 10 (DPA) Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian Wednesday reasserted that Taiwan is a sovereign country and not part of China at the island’s National Day celebrations.
“Taiwan is a sovereign county and Taiwan’s future must be decided by the 23 million Taiwanese. Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China are two countries that do not belong to each other,” Chen told a meeting before hosting the National Day rally.
Chen lauded Taiwan’s application for UN membership, which failed for the 15th consecutive year in 2007, and hoped that Taiwan could hold a referendum on joining the UN in March 2008 to show the world its determination to join the UN.
Chen blamed China for suppressing Taiwan and for the stalemate in cross-Strait exchanges, saying: “The ball is in the hands of China”.
At the rally, Chen reviewed troops and Taiwan’s newest weaponry, the first military parade in 16 years.
Nearly 100 warplanes flew over the square in front of the presidential office building as goose-stepping soldiers in camouflage passed the review stand.
Among the weapons displayed were Taiwan’s supersonic anti-ship Hsiung Feng 3 missile and the anti-ballistic Tien Kung 3 missile.
But Taiwan cancelled the plan to display the Hsiung Feng 2E cruise missile that is still being developed and reportedly has a range of 1,000 km, far enough to hit China’s financial centre Shanghai.
Some 1,000 foreign dignitaries, including Paraguay’s president, the Dominican Republic’s vice president and Nicaragua’s foreign minister attended the National Day rally.
Taiwan, seat of the exiled Republic of China since 1949, has been suffering increasing international isolation. China claims Taiwan is part of China and has threatened to recover Taiwan by force if Taipei declares independence or if it indefinitely delays reunification talks with China.