Strait choice

'After the successful resolution of the Hong Kong and Macau issues, people are naturally turning their eyes beyond the Taiwan Strait - where lies the final leg of China's reunification march.' That was the view of China's off icial Xinhua News Agency in December as officials hauled down the Portugues e flag over the first - and last - European colony in East Asia, and China declared Macau the second of its Special Administrative Regions after Hong Kong, In case the message should be lost on 'Taiwan compatriots', the agenc y added, 'Chinese leaders have said on many occasions that settlement of th e Taiwan question cannot be delayed indefinitely. With Macau's return to th e Motherland, the Taiwan issue is urgently placed before the entire Chinese people.'