China silent after shooting of Taiwanese leaders - do not report assasination attempt in their media

AP/TVBS | 3-19-04 | Joe McDonald/TVBS

[tallhappy]

Taiwan's TVBS news station reported that the Chinese Communist Spokesman for Taiwan Affairs Zhang Mingqing answered questions about the assasination attempts on Taiwan's President and vice-President by saying that they noted the event and would not comment further.

Both President Chen Shui-bian and Vice-President Annette Lu were struck by bullets while campaigning together for tomorrow's presidential election in Tainan, Taiwan. Both are being treated at a hospital but their injuries are reported to be life threatening.

The Associated Press provides some more info reporting how the Chinese news, controlled solely by the Chinese Communist party, has not even reported the shooting.

-----------

March 19, 2004, Friday, BC cycle

4:59 AM Eastern Time

SECTION: International News

HEADLINE: China silent after shooting of Taiwanese leaders

BYLINE: By JOE McDONALD, Associated Press Writer

DATELINE: BEIJING

BODY: China had no immediate reaction and didn't tell its own public Friday after Taiwan's president was shot and wounded a day before elections that Beijing hoped he would lose.

The shooting of President Chen Shui-bian and his vice president, Annette Lu, came as Taipei was preparing for a presidential election and a referendum vote that the mainland's Communist government has criticized.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry referred questions to the Cabinet's Taiwan Affairs Office, which handles relations with the self-ruled island. Phone calls to the office weren't answered.

The official Xinhua News Agency had not reported the shooting three hours after it occurred. The main state television channel, CCTV-1, showed a chef beating eggs while coverage by international media was filled with live bulletins on Chen's and Lu's medical conditions.

China often is slow to react to international events, especially those involving its tangled relations with Taiwan - which it regards as a domestic affair. After Chen's surprise upset victory in a 2000 election, Beijing waited several days before issuing a statement.

Beijing has publicly vilified Chen, accusing him of plotting to make Taiwan's de facto independence permanent. Many believe Chen's rival in the election, Lien Chan, would be more conciliatory toward Beijing.

The presidential election Saturday is a challenge to Beijing's claim to sovereignty over Taiwan. During the island's first direct presidential election in 1996, the Chinese military tried to intimidate voters by test-firing missiles into the sea nearby.

Voters are also being asked Saturday whether Taiwan should seek talks with China, and whether Taiwan should increase its defenses against Chinese missiles aimed at the island from the coast across the Taiwan Strait.

China and Taiwan split in 1949 amid civil war and have no official relations. Beijing wants the island to unite with the mainland and has threatened to take it by force if it declares permanent independence or delays talks on unification too long.

Closer ties with Beijing were a key issue in the Taiwan election campaign. The Communist mainland government has refused to talk to Chen.

Both the mainland's government officials and its entirely state-controlled media have employed inflammatory language for years against Chen, calling him everything from a joke to a traitor to his own people.

In 2002, an editorial in People's Daily, the ruling Communist Party's newspaper, said of Chen: "In desperation, he takes a risk on the happiness of 23 million Taiwanese just for political self-interest. He will pay a terrible price for this gambler's act."

In recent days, however, China has lowered the linguistic flame. Premier Wen Jiabao, in a yearly news conference Sunday, didn't mention Chen by name.

"Some people in the Taiwan authorities have been trying to push for a referendum on Taiwan independence based on the pretense of democracy," Wen said. "They have undermined this universally recognized principle of one China and threatened stability in the Taiwan Strait."

------------

President Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Annette Hsiu-lien Lu Injured While Campaigning

Published: March 19, 2004 Source: The Office of the President of the Republic of China FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

President Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Annette Hsiu-lien Lu were shot today at approximately 1:45 p.m. while campaigning in Tainan City. At a Presidential Office press conference, Secretary-General to the President Chiou I-jen said that the president was wounded in the belly and that the vice president was hit in the right knee. The injuries are not life-threatening, and both candidates are fully conscious. They were taken to Tainan's Cimei Hospital for treatment.

The president and vice president urged citizens to remain calm. Secretary-General Chiou said that national security mechanisms have been activated. A meeting of the National Security Council has been called, and the results will be released as soon as possible. KMT presidential candidate Lien Chan and his running mate James Soong have been notified of the incident, and the government will take full responsibility for their safety.

Secretary-General Chiou emphasized that the president and vice president's injuries are not life-threatening and that they are both fully conscious. He advised citizens not to worry and said that calm must prevail.

[tallhappy]

This is unbelievable.

The election will proceed as scheduled tomorrow -- around 12 AM our time (PST) returns may start coming in.

Here is a link to their election returns website.

[Simmy2.5]

Don't want to unintentionally make Taiwan hate the China any more then they already have. Though I have a feeling, Chen WILL win. Just a feeling.

[tallhappy]

Change to:

Both President Chen Shui-bian and Vice-President Annette Lu were struck by bullets while campaigning together for tomorrow's presidential election in Tainan, Taiwan. Both are being treated at a hospital but their injuries are reported to NOT be life threatening.

Sorry for my stupid typo.

Can you change?

[tallhappy]

An image is captured from video showing images of an 11 centimeter graze bullet wound across the front of Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian's lower abdomen during a press briefing at the main hospital, Friday, March 19, 2004, in Tainan, Taiwan 300 kms (186 miles) south of Taipei. Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Annette Lu were shot Friday while campaigning for this weekend's presidential election, but their injuries were not life-threatening, senior officials say. (AP Photo/ETToday/DongSan News)

[tallhappy]

A video grab shows blood (circled) coming from the wound on Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian's stomach after he was shot during a motorcade during an election campaign trail in Tainan, southern Taiwan, March 19, 2004. Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Annette were shot on Friday but were conscious and not in critical condition, Chen's chief of staff, Chiou I-jen said.

[newzjunkey]

Botched assassination attempt if you only manage a stomach flesh wound and a knee.

Now, the *real* question... is this "copycat" following Spain's disaster leading into their elections or part of a larger pattern of terrorizing electorates of 2004? If it's the former, it's just plain sick and if the later, how did Putin escape any meddling? Who else is up for reelection? I think Howard of Australia is running this year. Isn't Blair due to call for elections?

[blanknoone]

I don't doubt this is Chi-com attempted manipulation, but I don't think it is in response to Spain. The commies are very slow and deliberate, I have no doubt that this has been in the works for at least many months, and likely since Chen was elected.

[USMMA_83]

India is having elections in April.

[Solamente]

The shooter got a diet pepsi and two pork buns.

[mdmathis6]

The shooter will end up shot himself for muffing it!

[steveegg]

Now, the *real* question... is this "copycat" following Spain's disaster leading into their elections or part of a larger pattern of terrorizing electorates of 2004?

It's beginning to look a lot like the latter. If it's the former, it's just plain sick and if the later, how did Putin escape any meddling?

First, Putin is ruthless in crushing dissent. Second, nobody with even a ghost of a chance ran against him (see item #1). Third, anything that happened got lost in the wider Chechen war.

Who else is up for reelection? I think Howard of Australia is running this year. Isn't Blair due to call for elections?

Howard is up sometime this year (the ruling party must call for elections no more than 3 years after the previous one, and the last one was in 2001). I believe Blair has another year before he has to call elections (similar system, different amount of time before the ruling party has to call for elections). I believe Poland is not up this year. The p-EU at large has EU-wide elections slated for later this year (but France and Germany are expected to dominate the voting with Zapatero acquiescing on the previous Spanish position that smaller EU nations have essentially equal footing with France/Germany).

[FReepaholic]

Holy cow! He's riding in an open car!!??

Did he not learn ANYTHING from the Kennedy assassination and the attempt on the Pope????

[Steel Wolf]

Any initial impressions as to the identity of the assailant(s) or the details of the attack itself? Do they have anyone in custody yet, etc? Just curious.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Way to go China. I hope they were able to cover up themselves as the source of this botches assassination or the current leader of China is libel to get whacked. Their media silence is deafening.

[Constantine XIII]

prayer bump!

[js1138]

Both are being treated at a hospital but their injuries are reported to be life threatening.

Read this sentence slowly and carefully.

[TBall]

"The shooter will end up shot himself for muffing it!" Maybe the shooter intended to graze. A warning shot perhaps?

[newgeezer]

Holy cow! He's riding in an open car!!?? Did he not learn ANYTHING from the Kennedy assassination and the attempt on the Pope????

Are guns outlawed in Taiwan? If so, perhaps he assumed there are none.

[trickyricky]

I hope he's re-elected.
I hope Taiwan has a referendum.
I hope they declare their independence from the commies.
I hope we support them militarily when they do.

[tallhappy]

Yes. Read number 3.