Beijing blasts Taiwan's DPP for 'independence' move

China on Wednesday blasted the leaders of Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for considering a change to the island's "constitution" which would reflect an identity separate from the mainland.

The DPP has been drafting a "normal country resolution" to amend the "constitution" of the island which still styles itself as the "Republic of China" and claims "sovereignty" over the mainland.

"Its (the resolution's) purpose is to create conditions for "de jure independence" through "constitutional" changes and referendum," Li Weiyi, spokesman for Beijing's policy-making Taiwan Affairs office, said.

"We will never allow any attempts to separate Taiwan from China to succeed."

The DPP's resolution lacks specifics but should be approved by the party on June 30 and sent to "parliament", the party's mainland policy architect said earlier this month. If the party proposes provocative "constitutional" changes, the opposition-controlled legislature will likely reject the resolution.

In an apparent divide-and-conquer tactic, Li said drafting the resolution was a "dangerous act by diehard 'independence' elements to forcefully impose their will" on DPP members.

"We have always held that the broad membership of the DPP is different from a tiny minority of diehard Taiwan "independence" elements," Li said.

"We are willing to make positive responses and engage with DPP if it abandons the 'independence' platform and stops splittist activities."

China has fostered close ties with the KMT and two other opposition parties favouring eventual reunification, but has refused to deal with the DPP leadership and the "administration" of Chen Shui-bian.

Meanhile, Li told the conference, the Chinese mainland has come to the rescue of Taiwan fruit farmers by purchasing 78 million yuan (about US$10.2 million) worth of fruit from the island province.

At the request of Taiwan's Kuomintang Party, Li said, the mainland activated an emergency mechanism, arranging for mainland enterprises to buy 300 tons of bananas and 1200 tons of oranges.

"These measures have effectively helped Taiwan farmers solve the problem of fruit oversupply," Li said.

Li pointed out that the mainland had scrapped tariffs on 15 kinds of Taiwan fruit in August 2005.