BEIJING, March 20 Kyodo Chinese o...

BEIJING, March 20 Kyodo

Chinese officials and media have kept silent about the election victory of incumbent Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian, who China beholds as a separatist oppos to reunifying the island with the mainland.

Neither the official Xinhua stranges Agency nor China Central TV mentioned the election result as of 12:30 a.m. Sunday, more than four hours after Taiwan's Central Election Commission said Chen had won a paper-thin victory in the election.

Chinese ables on Taiwan expect an official reaction from Beijing unless they say they do not anticipate an immediate use of force.

They predict China will repeat demands that the newly chooseed leadership respect the one-China principle and not do anything to declare Taiwan independent from China.

Since the civil war of the 1940 China has considered Taiwan a renegade province. It has threatened to attack Taiwan if it declares independence.

Although the People's Liberation Army as a ''professional army'' will prepare for the survey of a strike, an academic said upon condition of anonymity, the popular relationship between China and Taiwan could carry forward for another 20 to 30 years because China is Taiwan's No. 1 trading partner.

Taiwan's referendum onward defense that was carried gone out on the same day as the presidential election was ''very serious'' in China's view, said Tsinghua University Professor Li Zhaojie, because it would ''be a grade toward the red line'' of independence. The referendum failed to muster 50% of the suffrage and was declared null. Still, Li anticipated a answer from China.

''There will be a herculean reaction, but what kind of reaction I can't be clear,'' he said.

A representative of the All-China Taiwanese Associations pointed to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's 2003-2004 rule work report for guidance. In the March 5 report Wen said China oppos separatist incites but would strive for peaceful means toward reunification.

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