09-12-07

中国称台湾总统为“民族败类” (China Calls Taiwan President a "Traitor")

中国称台湾总统陈水扁是谋求独立活动的“民族败类”。中国国务院台湾事务办公室发言人李维一星期三在北京对记者说，如果陈水扁继续推动台湾从中国独立的活动，那么他将要承担严重后果。

台湾已吁请以“台湾”名义加入联合国，陈水扁也在推动明年就选民是否支持加入联合国进行全民公投。实行自行统治的台湾的官方称号是“中华民国”，1971年失去联合国的席位，被北京当局取代。

1949年，内战结束后，台湾和中国大陆分制。北京认为台湾是中国的一部份，并威胁如果台湾正式宣布独立，会进攻台湾。

China is calling Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian a "traitor" for promoting independence activities. The spokesman of China's Taiwan Affairs Office Li Weiyi told journalists in Beijing Wednesday that Mr. Chen will have to bear serious consequences if he continues to push for Taiwan's independence from mainland China.

Taiwan has appealed to join the United Nations under the name "Taiwan," and Mr. Chen is pushing for a public referendum next year on whether voters support membership to the world body. The self-governing island, officially known as the "Republic of China", lost its U.N. seat to Beijing in 1971.

Taiwan and China split in 1949 at the end of a civil war. Beijing, which considers the island part of China, says it will invade Taiwan if it declares formal independence.

菲律宾法庭判处埃斯特拉达终身监禁 (Philippine Court Sentences Estrada to Life in Prison)

菲律宾前总统约瑟夫.埃斯特拉达因任职期间接受贿赂和回扣的罪名被判处终身监禁。在经过6年的审判后，马尼拉一个反腐败法庭星期三判定埃斯特拉达“经济侵吞”罪名成立。法庭判定他在任职期间接受数百万美元的贿赂和来自非法赌博的款项的罪名成立。法庭判定另外一项谎报财产的罪名不成立。

埃斯特拉达说，法庭的判决具有政治动机，并表示他会对判决上诉。这项判决将自动送交菲律宾最高法院复审。现年70岁的前电影明星埃斯特拉达在1998年就任菲律宾总统，2001年在民众抗议声中被剥夺职权。

Former Philippine President Joseph Estrada has been sentenced to life in prison for receiving bribes and kickbacks while in office. An anti-graft court in Manila convicted Estrada of economic plunder Wednesday after a six-year trial. He was found guilty of receiving millions of dollars in bribes and funds from illegal gambling while in office. The court cleared him of a separate charge that he falsely declared his assets.

Estrada called the court's decision politically-motivated and said he will appeal the verdict. The case is also due for automatic review by the Supreme Court. The 70-year-old former movie star was president from 1998 until 2001, when he was removed from power by a popular revolt.