China's Hu, Taiwan's Chen trade rhetorical barbs

BEIJING, Jan 2 (Reuters) Chinese President Hu Jintao called on the ''sons and daughters of China'' at home and abroad to resist moves towards Taiwan independence, state media today reported.

His comments, in an address to parliament's advisory body, were part of the annual New Year volleys of rhetoric with Taiwan, whose President Chen Shui-bian used his address to reassert Taipei's claim to sovereignty independent of the mainland.

In his address, Hu also referred to needed internal Communist Party reforms, fighting corruption and extending democracy ahead of the 17th Party Congress to be held in the autumn.

''We should extend democracy and promote harmony within the party, and consistently improve the party's governance and develop its advanced nature,'' Hu said according to the People's Daily, the party's mouthpiece.

''In the new year, we will uphold the basic principle of 'peaceful reunification' and 'one country, two systems' when dealing with relations across the Taiwan Strait,'' Hu added.

''China will never give up our efforts to reunify the country peacefully, but we will not compromise on Taiwan independence and splitist activities,'' he was quoting as saying.

''So here, I am calling again for the sons and daughters of China from overseas and home to join hands, and to crack down together on Taiwan independence and splittist activities,'' he told a new year meeting with the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), composed mainly of non-Communist members including celebrities, entrepreneurs and intellectuals.

Taipei and Beijing have been arch rivals since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, when the defeated Nationalists took refuge on Taiwan. China says the self-ruled, democratic island is a breakaway province, and has threatened to attack if it declares independence.

In his New Year address, Chen said ''the sovereignty of Taiwan belongs to its 23 million people, and it absolutely does not belong to the 'People's Republic of China','' according to a press release put out after his remarks.

''Taiwan's future is determined only by its 23 million citizens, and Taiwan is part of the world, absolutely not part of China,'' Chen said.

A spokesman for Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office lashed out Chen's comments today.

''Chen has no faith at all and spares no effort to make disturbances,'' the official Xinhua news agency quoted the spokesman as saying.

''We will wait and see how long he will move on the road of 'Taiwan independence','' he said, adding that Beijing would be highly vigilant towards any secessionist moves and never allow secessionists to separate Taiwan from China.

Beijing would ''try it best'' to promote exchanges and strive for stability and seek better livelihood for people across the Taiwan Strait, Hu said.

REUTERS SY VV1526