To give its verbal attacks more bite, China has also loosened the conditions for invading the island. Beijing now says that invasion is possible if Taiwan joins the Theater Missile Defense system, if a foreign country invades Taiwan, or if Taiwan holds a referendum to decide its future. And this without giving a moment's thought to international law or the Constitution of Taiwan.
China does little but show to the world that it is truly an anachronistic thug.
The fact is that peaceful negotiations between China and Taiwan should be a priority for Chen after he is sworn in. Chen has a profound understanding of the issues involved in China-Taiwan relations and has shown his goodwill toward the mainland since even before campaigning for the presidency began. After the election, he made it clear that he would be willing to visit Beijing and invite China's leaders to visit Taiwan. The president-elect has said that he alone is not the one to make such a decision. President-elect Chen has taken the path of friendliness, patience and cordiality towards China, but has still retained the integrity of the country.