Taiwan Leader Pans Chinese Peace Proposal

Taiwan's Chen Shui-bian panned a Chinese peace overture, criticizing the adherence to what he calls "the framework of the 'one China' principle." "I think this would mean, for the 23 million people of Taiwan, a treaty of surrender," said the president, referring to China's refusal to negotiate without considering Taiwan a component of the mainland, ruled from Beijing.

Chen had some words for the Chinese president, telling the Times that Hu Jintao "is like a smiling tiger, hiding a dagger in a smile, with honey in his mouth but a sword at his stomach." With Taiwanese presidential elections in March, China's proposal allows candidates to distinguish their policies from those of Chen, hardly a mainland favorite. (More Taiwan stories.)