Protests are Taiwan's business, Wen says
As anti-Chen rallies continue in Taipei, premier maintains Beijing's silence
Beijing is remaining silent over the protests against scandal-plagued Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian, insisting the trouble is the island's business.
Asked about the anti-Chen protests by a group of Hong Kong journalists, Premier Wen Jiabao said: 'I will offer no comment on what has happened in Taiwan lately. We should leave the people of Taiwan to solve this problem.'
Mr Wen made the remarks on Monday night before concluding his three-day visit to Helsinki yesterday, as protests on the island entered their fourth day.
Mainland media have been closely following developments in the campaign to oust Mr Chen. The drive was initiated by Shih Ming-teh, former chairman of Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party, last month to force Mr Chen to resign over corruption allegations linked to him, his family and government.
Mr Chen is being investigated over the alleged embezzlement of NT$36 million (HK$8.5 million) in state funds, his wife is being probed for alleged influence peddling and their son-in-law is on trial on insider trading charges.
But mainland leaders have remained silent over the protests. Analysts said this was because any comments on the issue could create more problems for both Taiwan and the mainland.
'Beijing has maintained it will not intervene in Taiwan's internal affairs as part of its so-called 'one country, two systems' proposal to try to win the island back,' said George Tsai Wei, research fellow at the Institute of International Relations.
'Besides, any words in favour of the protests would be used by the Chen camp to attack Shih and other campaign organisers, and paint the campaign as an activity backed by the mainland to disrupt Taiwan's stability.'
The headquarters of the anti-Chen campaign welcomed Mr Wen's remarks, saying it was the best response that could be expected from the mainland.
'It is right to say that the anti-Chen protests are an internal affair of Taiwan,' said Emile Sheng Chih-jen, a spokesman for the campaign headquarters and a political science professor at Soochow University.
'This is a campaign to counter corruption and the corrupt regime, which has nothing to do with cross-strait relations.
'Besides, the protests have been held in a peaceful manner.'
The Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's top mainland policy planning body, declined to comment on Mr Wen's remarks.
But an unnamed council official said the mainland should learn to embrace democracy and allow freedom of assembly and freedom of speech.
Despite sweltering heat and a thunderstorm last night, thousands of protesters continued their sit-in yesterday in front of the Presidential Office to demand Mr Chen's resignation.
