China condemns Zambian opposition leader's statement on Taiwan
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-08-30 09:48 LUSAKA -- A senior diplomat of
the Chinese embassy in Zambia described here a statement on Taiwan made by
Zambian presidential candidate, opposition leader Michael Sata, as dangerous.
Sata, one of the five presidential candidates fielded for the Sept. 28
elections, was quoted Monday by newspaper The Post as saying during a rally last
Saturday that "Taiwan is a sovereign state."
Speaking at a news conference on Monday, counselor Du Yiping of the Chinese
embassy said the statement made by Sata, leader of the Patriotic Front (PF),
seriously damaged the traditional friendship between China and Zambia.
Du said the statement also seriously interfered with China's internal
affairs.
It not only hurt the feelings of all Chinese people but also ran contrary to
the one-China policy pursued by the successive Zambian governments and supported
by the Zambian people, the counselor said.
"We solemnly condemn his irresponsible wrong remarks and deeply concerned
over them," said Du.
"There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of
the Chinese territory, which has been widely recognized by an overwhelming
majority of countries in the world," said the counselor.
Also on Monday, Zambian Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National
Reunification of China condemned the statement, saying Sata was ignorant to make
such remarks.
In a statement, the council said the fact that Taiwan is an inalienable part
of the Chinese territory is widely recognized and accepted by the international
community.
Meanwhile, a senior official from the Zambian ruling party termed Sata's
statement as "nonsense."
Michael Mabenga, national chairman of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy
(MMD), said Monday in an exclusive interview with Xinhua that "I strongly
denounce such kind of irresponsible statement made by Sata as it will destroy
the cordial relationship between Zambia and China."
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