China hits back at Taiwan leader

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A Chinese government spokesman has accused Taiwan's president of trying to ruin ties with the mainland.

President Chen Shui-bian, whose party favours Taiwanese independence, used his New Year speech to insist that the island was not part of China.

But a spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing hit back, saying China would be "vigilant to any secessionist moves."

China sees Taiwan as part of its territory.

It has threatened to use force if the island ever moves to declare formal independence.

'Disturbances'

"Only the people of Taiwan have the right to decide on the future of Taiwan," Mr Chen said in his speech on Monday.

"Taiwan's sovereignty belongs to 23 million people. It definitely does not belong to the People's Republic of China," he said.

TAIWAN-CHINA RELATIONS Ruled by separate governments since end of Chinese civil war in 1949 China considers the island part of its territoryChina has offered a "one country, two systems" solution, like Hong KongMost people in Taiwan support status quo <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/asia_pac/04/taiwan_flashpoint/html/introduction.stm" class="">Guide to Taiwan flashpoint</a>

A day later, the Chinese government made clear that it was not happy with Mr Chen's remarks.

An unnamed spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office told the state-run news agency, Xinhua, that Mr Chen "spares no effort to make disturbances".

"Chen intends to unreasonably restrict cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation... and ruin the peaceful and stable development of cross-Strait ties," he said.

"We will... never allow secessionists to separate Taiwan from the motherland in any name or by any way."

In his own New Year message, Chinese President Hu Jintao also mentioned the issue of Taiwanese independence, calling on Chinese people around the world to join hands to oppose the move.

China remains deeply suspicious of the Taiwanese leader and his independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, accusing Mr Chen of planning constitutional changes that would destroy hopes of eventual reunification.

But despite his tough talk, Mr Chen has also made clear many times in the past that he has no plans to declare official independence except in the event of a Chinese invasion.

Tensions, though, are still high. Late last month China announced plans to upgrade its military, highlighting its dispute with Taiwan as one of several regional security threats.

Meanwhile, Taiwanese legislators have recently been discussing a controversial and much-delayed US arms deal package.