Taiwan's new president, Mr Chen Shui-bian, failed in his inauguration speech on Saturday to satisfy communist China's demand that he embrace the concept of one China and begin reunification talks with Beijing.
Communist China's initial reaction was voiced in moderate tones without personal invective against President Chen, raising hopes that dialogue between the two sides might still be possible.
But in a commentary yesterday stating the government view, the official Xinhua news agency warned that Beijing was "utterly uncompromising" in insisting that Mr Chen accept its definition of the concept of one China, that is, that there is only one China and Taiwan is part of that China. "On this major matter of principle, we will not allow evasiveness or vagueness," it said.
"If the one China principle is not accepted, there is no basis for dialogue and negotiation between the two sides and not only will it be hard for bilateral ties to improve, it could also lead to conflict and cause a crisis." In his inauguration speech, Mr Chen did manage to use the critical phrase, saying that he believed the leaders on both sides had enough wisdom and creativity to deal jointly with the question of a future "one China". He also promised not to abolish the old Nationalist government's National Unification Guidelines, which call for "phased" development of cross-strait ties and promotion of China's unification under freedom and democracy.
The first pro-independence leader of Taiwan, which was ruled for half a century by the Nationalist Party, undertook to adhere to the "four nos" stance during his four-year tenure, so long as mainland China did not intend to use force against Taiwan. The "four nos" are: no declaration of independence; no change to the Republic of China's national title (i.e. to the Republic of Taiwan); no inclusion of the "two states theory" in the constitution; and no plebiscite on Taiwan's future status.
Mr Chen pledged yesterday during a visit to the heavily fortified outpost of Kinmen (Quemoy) just off the Chinese mainland to review Taiwan's ban on direct trade, transport and postal links between Taiwan and the People's Republic of China, which have been suspended since the defeated Nationalist army fled to Taiwan in 1949.
Xinhua said in its commentary: "The `one China' principle is a matter of national unity and territorial and sovereign integrity. On the question of this principle, our attitude is unflinching, utterly uncompromising and absolutely unyielding. We will use all means possible to achieve peaceful reunification. At the same time we have the firm determination and necessary preparations to shatter all Taiwan independence and other plots."
The commentary also repeated a warning that Taiwan could not "indefinitely postpone" reunification with the mainland. Mr Chen's inauguration came at a critical juncture in China's foreign and trade relations: on Friday Beijing concluded a market-access deal with the European Union that opens the way to entry into the WTO.
This week in Washington the US Congress will vote on legislation to normalise permanently trade with China. The imminence of this vote and a desire to avoid upsetting Congress may have stayed Beijing's hand from making more belligerent threats against Taiwan, as it has done in the past.
An opinion poll by independent cable television in Taiwan at the weekend showed President Chen's approval rating at 77 per cent after the inauguration, compared to 59 per cent when he won the election in March.