Chen calls China an `empire'

[dArKeR]

By Lin Chieh-yu
STAFF REPORTER
Wednesday, Apr 21, 2004,Page 1

President Chen Shui-bian (???) yesterday compared the Chinese Communist Party's rule to those of ancient Chinese imperial dynasties, saying that the "dictatorial empire" developed by Beijing would collapse sooner or later.

"The `one China' policy is actually a political myth to be used for consolidating the new `Chinese Empire,'" Chen said when he met Ross Terrill, author of The New Chinese Empire and head researcher at Harvard University's Fairbank Center for East Asian Research.

"I have noticed that the book pointed out the fact that the concept of `China' was born in late phase of the Manchu Dynasty, not 5,000 years ago," Chen said.

"And I agree with the perspective that the major difference between a modern nation and an empire is how they are created: an empire is built on military force while a modern state is born on the basis of all inhabitants' approval," Chen said.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2004/04/21/2003137478

[w4rma]

1. Chen is a good man, imho. Accurate too. (nt)