Taiwan authorities should not gamble with the basic interests of the masses of Taiwan compatriots by cornering them in the dead end of "Taiwan independence", said a signed article released by Xinhua on Aug. 19.

The article exposes the pro-independence nature of an apologia issued by Taiwan authorities through its "Mainland Affairs Council" on August 7.

The apologia aimed to justify Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian's fallacy of "one country on each side" and his advocacy for "deciding Taiwan's future, destiny and status quo" through a "democratic vote", said the article authored by Xu Shiquan, a prestigious scholar on Taiwan affairs with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Chen Shui-bian has always bent on Taiwan's "independence", and his statement of "one country on each side", made on August 3, betrays the fraudulent nature of the promises he made when he took office, and marks the complete "bankruptcy" of his political reputation, Xu noted in the article.

On the other hand, it is precisely not the armed forces of the Chinese mainland that threaten Taiwan's security, but the disruptive separatist activities of "Taiwan independence" force.

The people across China cherish any opportunity for peace and development, and hope to settle the Taiwan issue in a peaceful way. "Peaceful reunification" and "one country, two systems" are the fundamental principles the Chinese mainland has adopted towards Taiwan.

"Chen Shui-bian's 'Taiwan independence' statement, however, has reminded us once again that we cannot abandon the use of force while seeking a peaceful reunification," the article noted. "Only when we are fully prepared to deter disruption can we exert ourselves for ultimate peace and achieve a peaceful reunification."

Separatist forces headed by Chen Shui-bian and his predecessor Lee Teng-hui have not just undermined the very foundation for the stable cross-Strait relations and hindered Taiwan's development, but had sabotaged peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region as well, it warned.

Besides, throughout its history, Taiwan had always been a part of China rather than a separate country.

When the People's Republic of China (PRC) was founded in October 1949, its government replaced the "government of the Republic of China" as the sole legitimate government to represent the whole of China in the international community.

According to international law, such a substitution change altered neither China's sovereignty nor its territory. And its sovereignty over Taiwan remained unchanged. Hence, the People's Republic of China, beyond any doubt, is fully entitled to enjoy and exercise the country's sovereign rights, including its sovereignty over Taiwan.

The Chinese mainland never holds disagreement nor opposes any economic, cultural or personnel contacts or exchanges of Taiwan compatriots with other countries and regions of the world, provided that such activities do not run counter to the "one China" principle.

The Chinese mainland, nevertheless, will never tolerate the Taiwan authorities' disruptive attempts and schemes to go in for "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" in the international arena, the article warned.