Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian has no desire to improve cross-strait relations and the mainland does not believe a word of what he said in his inauguration address, the People's Daily says.
In an article to be published today, the Communist Party's mouthpiece dismisses all 'concessions' made by Mr Chen in his May 20 inauguration address and reiterates that he has only two choices.
'There are only two roads before Chen Shui-bian,' the article says. 'One is to rein [himself] in at the brink of the precipice and stop [promoting] Taiwan independence and the other is to keep playing with fire and perish by fire.'
The article, which uses language tougher than that used in previous statements issued by the Taiwan Affairs Office, indicates Beijing has not changed its mind about Mr Chen and is not prepared to deal with him.
It rejects all suggestions by Mr Chen - including his promise that amendments to the constitution would not change Taiwan's status and his call for understanding from the mainland side - as 'cheap tricks' and 'beautiful lies'.
'Although his speech does not use any words to [promote the idea] of one country on each side of the [Taiwan Strait], it is filled with ideas which amount to saying Taiwan is an independent country,' it said.