Taiwan leader to discuss abolishing China unification body

The President of Taiwan would decide on the fate of a government committee responsible for unifying with rival China, amid strong pressure from Beijing and Washington not to scrap the body.

The President of Taiwan met top aides on Monday to decide the fate of a government committee responsible for unifying with rival China, amid strong pressure from Beijing and Washington not to scrap the body.

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President Chen Shui-bian said last week that the National Unification Council and its unification guidelines, premised on eventual unification between Taiwan and the mainland, are "absurd products of an absurd era."

Opening a meeting with the National Security Council, Chen reaffirmed the need to safeguard Taiwan's democracy and to maintain status quo.

"We must ensure that the right of the 23 million Taiwanese to make a choice based on their freewill is not being deprived," he said.

"We must do the right thing and walk on the right path so we can be responsible to history and to our people."

China and Taiwan split amid civil war in 1949. Since then Beijing has repeatedly threatened the use of military force if Taiwan institutionalizes its de facto independence.

On Sunday China accused Chen of inciting tensions by considering the future of the unification council.

"The further escalation of Taiwanese independence and secessionist activities, pushed by Chen Shui-bian, will no doubt cause a serious crisis across the Taiwan Strait," said the Chinese Government statement.