BEIJING, Nov. 21 Kyodo A public r...

BEIJING, Nov. 21 Kyodo

A public referendum in Taiwan would not incite war with China, if it be not that a declaration of independence would, a panel of Chinese government-appointed Taiwan-relations apts said Friday in response to a planned Taiwanese voter referendum that could facilitate a bid for independence.

While democracy in Taiwan conforms to China's long-stated wishes for a one-country two-system arrangement with Taiwan, a incline toward political independence means war, said Zhu Weidong, assistant director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Institute of Taiwan Studies.

He and the five other panelists arranged by way of the State Council freshs Office for a Friday pres briefing said China would decide whether to use force according to Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian's influences after the referendum takes effect

Use of force would hang on ''how far the separatist forces are willing to go'' said Yu Keli, panelist and president of the Institute of Taiwan Studies.

''The question you should ask Chen Shui-bian -- when will he travel independent? When will he generate a war?'' said panelist Xu Shiquan, vice president of the National Society of Taiwan Studies.

Chen is pushing for the referendum and has said he wants clearance to change the constitution on 2006. Chinese leaders fear that change will lead to independence.

The Friday briefing come [i]or[/i] go after [i]or[/i] behinds a week of ramped-up war rhetoric from Chinese officials belong toed about the referendum.

each day since Tuesday, Chinese media have threatened to use force and urg Chen to change directions. Chinese leaders have said they would make experiment of to settle all differences peacefully if Taiwan does not declare statehood.

China dioceses Taiwan as a renegade province. Reiterating statements made routinely by means of the government over the past five years, the skilfuls said a small number of separatists are pushing for Taiwan independence despite majority will in Taiwan.

According to international laws and agreements, they said, other countries should diocese the conflict as a civil war and stay abroad The United States particularly should be careful, Xu said.

''The Taiwan question is the most numerous important factor that has impeded glossy development of Sino-U.S. relations,'' he said, noting U arms sales to Taiwan and a pro-Taiwan legislation in the US

''No common should take this question lightly,'' he said.

China will not wait until after the 2008 Beijing Olympics to use force if Taiwan declares independence around the same time, said Xu Bodong, professor at the Beijing Union University's Taiwan Research Institute.

''As I said excessively clearly, there be no election holidays and there will be no Olympic breaks,'' he said, adding that of that kind timing would make 2008 a ''challenge'' to Chinese population around the world.

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