Force against Taiwan 'an option'
Staff and wires
BEIJING, China -- Chinese Communist Party chief Jiang Zemin has upheld Beijing's right to use force against Taiwan.
"Our position of never undertaking to renounce the use of force is not directed at our Taiwan compatriots. It is aimed at the foreign forces' attempts to interfere in China's reunification and the Taiwan separatist forces' schemes for 'Taiwan independence'," Jiang said.
Despite the strong rhetoric against the island still recognized as a nation by 27 countries, Jiang stressed dialogue remained the key.
"On the basis of the one-China principle, let us shelve for now certain political disputes and resume the cross-strait dialogue and negotiations as soon as possible," Jiang said in the text of a major speech to be delivered to a Communist Party Congress.
Taiwan has been under self rule since 1949, when the Nationalist army led by Chiang Kai-shek fled there to escape Mao Zedong's Communist forces, which seized control of mainland China.
Beijing regards Taiwan as a rebel province that must be brought back into the fold, with force if necessary.
Beijing has been highly suspicious of Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian, who toned down his pro-independence stance when he took power.
Reuters contributed to this report.
