China premier warns against Taiwan referendum

By Ben Blanchard

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao told self-ruled Taiwan on Wednesday it cannot unilaterally decide its political future as the island prepares to hold a contentious referendum on whether to seek U.N. membership.

Taiwan, which China claims as its own, is to hold the referendum alongside presidential elections on March 22, ignoring warnings from the United States, France, Japan and China.

The referendum, which if passed would be perceived by Beijing to be a formal declaration of independence, is doomed whatever the outcome because China is a veto-wielding permanent member of the U.N. Security Council.

"Any issue that concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be decided by all the Chinese people, including our Taiwan compatriots," Wen told the opening of the annual session of parliament in apparent reference to the referendum.

China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since their split in 1949 when Mao Zedong's Communists won the Chinese civil war and Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists fled to the island.

"Reunification of the two sides is inevitable," Wen said. Taiwan's pro-independence activities were "doomed to fail".

He renewed an offer to enter into negotiations with Taiwan.

"We will work for the early resumption of cross-Strait negotiations on the basis of the 'one China' principle to address major issues of concern to compatriots on both sides," Wen said.