President Chen Shui-bian warned Monday that Taiwan cannot count on better relations with Beijing just because Jiang Zemin has stepped aside as China’s military leader.
“We absolutely must not harbor any wishful thinking or unrealistic expectations,” Chen said at a ceremony honoring Taiwan’s military.
Beijing announced Sunday at the end of a four-day Communist Party meeting that President Hu Jintao, 61, would replace Jiang, 78, as head of the powerful Central Military Committee. This paves the way for Hu to further consolidate his power and gives China a more unified leadership structure.
Taiwan has enjoyed de facto independence since China’s civil war ended in 1949, but Beijing considers it a renegade province that eventually must be reunited with the mainland–by force, if necessary.
