Taiwan plans 'missile' vote
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Beijing insists self-ruled, democratic Taiwan is a renegade province that must eventually return to China.
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TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Taiwan's president plans to hold a referendum on March 20, asking voters to demand China remove missiles aimed at the island, according to reports.
The referendum is authorized under a new law, whose passage by Taiwan's parliament last month has already angered Beijing.
On Saturday, presidential spokesman, James Huang, told The Associated Press "the missile issue will be on the referendum."
President Chen Shui-bian has hinted several times over the past week the referendum would deal with the missile threat.
Huang added the president would consider calling off the vote if China redeployed the missiles and renounced the use of threat against Taiwan.
Chen said last week he planned to use the new law that gives him the power to hold a "defensive referendum" when the island's sovereignty faces an imminent threat.
China and Taiwan split during a civil war in 1949 and Beijing insists self-ruled Taiwan is a renegade province that must eventually return to China -- by force, if necessary.
Beijing has deployed hundreds of missiles aimed at Taiwan, just 100 miles away.
But Chinese state media said on Saturday China would safeguard its sovereignty over Taiwan at any cost.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is heading to the United States where talks on the island's recent gestures over independence are likely to feature.
Opposition lawmakers celebrate after they defeated most of the bill.
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Beijing's latest threats, carried on the overseas edition of the People's Daily, came after U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell sought to calm tensions by reaffirming Washington's stand against Taiwan independence.
The United States is Taiwan's biggest ally and arms supplier.
Many analysts believe that China fears if it drops the war threats, Taiwan's people will be encouraged to seek full-fledged independence.
Several polls have reported a large number of Taiwanese don't want to unify with China, but they oppose seeking formal independence because they fear it could start a war.
Copyright 2003 CNN. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
