A SENIOR Taiwan official has appealed to Beijing not to take the fast-paced democratic reforms on the island as a sign of progress towards independence.
In an interview yesterday, Vice-Premier Hsu Li-teh also made a strong defence against accusations that the Kuomintang's (KMT) multi-billion-dollar business empire was a result of the misuse of power by the ruling party.
Referring to allegations by China as well as opposition parties in Taiwan that President Lee Teng-hui was advocating de facto independence, Mr Hsu said: 'The attacks against President Lee are not fair.
'Nor is it fair [for Beijing] to interpret the elections and other measures in democratisation in Taiwan as steps towards Taiwan independence,' he said.
The Vice-Premier, who is also a respected KMT party elder, said he hoped Beijing would understand that Taiwan posed no threat to the mainland.
'We harbour no enmity [towards the mainland]. We dare not invade the mainland nor do we have the force,' he said, adding that he hoped Beijing would let Taiwan live in peace.
On the elections on Saturday of the mayors of Taipei and Kaohsiung as well as the provincial governor, Mr Hsu said a victory by the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) could be interpreted as a rise in sentiments for independence.
