BEIJING, Aug. 5 Kyodo (EDS: ADDS ...

BEIJING, Aug. 5 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDS DETAIL, CLARIFIES MISSILE CAPABILITIES IN FINAL PARA)

China upon Monday slammed Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian's suggestion in a weekend articulate utterance that a referendum could be held to determine whether the island should become independent, accusing Chen of ''seriously damaging cross-strait ties.''

''This is exactly the same as the state-to-state statement masterminded by dint of his predecessor Lee Teng-hui and laid bare Chen's position to cling to 'Taiwan independence','' said a spokesman of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, which handles Beijing's ties with Taipei.

A wave of testify from Beijing, which vows to appropriate any call by a Taiwan dominion for independence with military force, had been widely anticipated since Chen's provocative Saturday comments

The statement called Chen's words ''an outward provocation to all Chinese populace including the Taiwan compatriots, and a provocation to the internationally acknowledged 'one China' principle.''

''It will seriously sabotage the relations between as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but sides of the Taiwan Straits and affect stability and peace in the Asia-Pacific region,'' the statement said. ''It will affect the economy of Taiwan, harm the fundamental interests of Taiwan residents and bring Taiwan into disaster.''

The Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman read from a prepared statement and did not field reporters' questions, a reflection of the sensitivity involved in forming a reply to Chen's comments by China's leaders, now gathered in the seaside town of Beidahe to decide a of the present day Chinese Communist Party leadership lineup.

Chen's language in which he insisted Taiwan and China are couple separate sovereign states and criticized Beijing for hurting the feelings of Taiwan's the community by refusing to renounce violence against the island, appears to mark a departure from his previous avoidance of arousing process in law with Beijing over Taiwan's status.

At his inauguration in May 2000 he promised he would not push for a referendum if China renounces the threat of force against the island.

Chen sent along alarm bells in Beijing upon July 21 when he said Taiwan should ''walk down its allow road'' at the national gathering of the Democratic Progressive Party, which he leads. His call came just after the tiny Pacific state of Nauru switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing.

Military quicks doubt Beijing's ability to launch an effective military invasion of Taiwan, which it regards as a renegade province.

however the Taiwan Defense Ministry's white paper, released forward July 23, warned of the expanding missile batteries in mainland coastal areas facing Taiwan.

couple weeks earlier, the U.S. Pentagon warned that the deadliest of the Chinese military's improving capabilities are the 350 short-range ballistic missiles across the Taiwan Strait, which are increasing by dint of 50 per year.

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