Chen denied he was trying to alter the cross-strait status quo by holding the "anti-missile, anti-war" vote on March 20 presidential election day, saying the move was intended to avoid war.

"We must safeguard the status quo of Taiwan's independence from being changed. All measures taken, including the defensive referendum, are meant to avoid war and relieve people from fears," Chen said.

"We have no intention to change the status quo, but nor do we allow the status quo being forced to change. We want to maintain a status quo of peace and stability instead of one of missile deployment and military threat," Chen told Dan Burton, a member of the US House of Representatives, in his office.

Chen was responding to warnings from Bush and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Washington Tuesday against the planned referendum, which has outraged Beijing.

China regards Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification and has threatened to invade should it declare formal independence.

Chen, leader of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, said Sunday the referendum was aimed at asking China to dismantle the 496 ballistic missiles targeting Taiwan and renounce the use of force against the island.

Taiwan argues that the referendum would not violate Chen's pledge not to press for independence during his four-year term, which ends in 2004.

China, however, fears it would pave the way for an eventual vote on independence.

China however fears the ballots are paving the way for an eventual referendum on independence for Taiwan, and the proposed vote produced a sharp rebuke from Bush during his meeting with Wen on Tuesday.

"We oppose any unilateral decision by either China or Taiwan to change the status quo," Bush said.

"And the comments and actions made by the leader of Taiwan indicate that he may be willing to make decisions unilaterally to change the status quo, which we oppose," the US president added.

Washington has observed the One-China policy since it switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979. It also insists cross-strait disputes must be resolved through peaceful means.

Wen said China would not tolerate any moves towards independence by Taiwan.

"The attempts of Taiwan authorities, headed by (President) Chen Shui-bian, are only using democracy as an excuse and (an) attempt to resort to a defensive referendum to split Taiwan away from China," Wen said through a translator.

"Such separatist activities are what the Chinese side can absolutely not accept and tolerate."

Taiwan's foreign ministry Wednesday said China was the source of tensions.

"We always take the initiative to express goodwill (towards China) and suggest resumption of bilateral talks without preconditions," Foreign Minister Eugene Chien told reporters.

"But communist China has ruthlessly tried to impose the undemocratic 'one China, two systems' policy on us and refuses to renounce the use of force.

"All these prove that communist China is the maker of cross-strait tensions," he said.

WAR.WIRE