Taiwan Calls for Demilitarization

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian called on mainland China today to demilitarize the Taiwan Strait and open a diplomatic dialogue to end the decades-old standoff between the two adversaries.

In an hourlong televised speech, Chen outlined an initiative that calls for the withdrawal of all mainland and Taiwanese military forces from an area that would include the strait, a 100-mile-wide body of water that has been a potential tinderbox for more than half a century. He also proposed an exchange of representatives to begin a dialogue.

Chen said the rapid economic and political change on both sides of the strait should be harnessed to resolve the political impasse. Beijing regards Taiwan as a breakaway province and seeks reunification with the island, which has de facto independence.

“If we are able to seize the momentum, it will have great impact on our development and future prospects,” Chen said. “We should enter into an agreement on the establishment of a peace and stability framework for cross-strait interactions.”

Political analysts noted that the initiative appeared to be a revised version of a proposal floated five years ago by Chen’s Democratic Progressive Party that went nowhere. With Chen seeking reelection in March, analysts said the idea seemed to be directed as much at Taiwanese voters as at Beijing. Observers gave it little chance of success.

“He wants to send a message to Beijing that he’s a president working for peace on both sides of the strait, but this is really aimed at his own supporters,” said Andrew Yang of the Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies, a Taipei-based think tank. “He wants to show voters he’s serious about wanting to work with the mainland.”

Because of Chen’s pro-independence sentiments, mainland leaders worked to prevent his election four years ago and have refused to engage his government diplomatically. There was no immediate response from Beijing to Chen’s remarks.

Chen’s initiative comes as he scrambles to gain an edge in the extremely tight presidential race. On the same day that voters choose a president, they will also be asked to participate in a referendum.

The initiative outlined today elaborates on part of the referendum, which will ask if the government should try to negotiate a “peace and stability framework” for relations with the mainland.

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Tsai reported from Taipei and Marshall from Hong Kong.