BEIJING, April 14 (Reuters) -- A Chinese military newspaper has labelled Taiwan's new vice-president an enemy of China and warns she has sent a dangerous signal by making comments deemed pro-independence, state media said on Friday.
"At this critical moment, the die-hard advocate of Taiwan independence Lu Xiulian has jumped out to speak nonsense in favour of Taiwan independence, positioning herself as an enemy of the Chinese people," state media quoted the People's Liberation Army Daily as saying in a commentary to be published on Saturday.Lu Xiulian is the Chinese name of the island's vice president-elect, Annette Lu, who won a popular poll in March along with presidential candidate Chen Shui-bian.
"This is an extremely dangerous signal," state TV quoted the commentary as saying. "Taiwan independence means war."
China considers Taiwan a renegade province subject to eventual reunion with the mainland--by force if necessary.
The commentary is the latest in a week of vitriolic attacks in the Chinese media against Lu over remarks she reportedly made to a Hong Kong television station.
Lu, who is a member of the traditionally pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, hit back at Beijing on Friday, saying attacks against her were meant to distract attention from potential chaos within China.
"In order to cover up the internal chaos that might take place, they want to distract the attention," she said in a radio interview with the BBC.