.bmp)
.bmp)
TAIPEI-Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou vowed on Tuesday that no war would break out with long-time political rival China, which considers the self-ruled island as part of its territory, during his term in office.China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949 and has vowed to bring the island back under its rule, by force if necessary.Ma's government has held historic talks with Beijing and set up new trade and transit links since he took office in May, following decades of hostility.He said he was confident war would be averted, his office quoted him as saying after a speech to military leaders."The president resolutely said that in the coming four years there would be no war between the two sides," Ma's office said in a statement after his speech to top military personnel."He expressed this prospect during his campaign, and now he has more confidence," the statement said. Ma's term ends in 2012. Taiwan's main opposition political party called Ma's comments a sign of weakness on the island's sovereignty. China's top negotiator, Chen Yunlin, is expected to visit Taiwan later this year for talks on daily direct flights and food safety.China's food safety record has been tarnished again by a recent tainted milk scandal in which four babies died, thousands were made ill, and Chinese dairy products were pulled off shelves around the world.As in the days of Noah...
