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Premier Campaigns Against Independents

BEIJING - Shouting and pointing his finger in the air, Premier Zhu Rongji warned Taiwanese not to vote for a pro-independence presidential candidate, asserting yesterday that China will invade before allowing Taiwan to declare itself a separate country.

Noting the slide in Taiwan's stock market this week, Zhu said some Taiwanese fear electing a pro-independence leader on Saturday could take them into a war with China and "these worries follow clear logic."

"The people of Taiwan are standing at a very critical historical juncture, so let me give advice to all the people of Taiwan: Do not act just on impulse," Zhu said. "Otherwise you will regret it very much and it will be too late to repent."

In an unmistakable reference to Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan's pro-independence opposition party, Zhu contended that "every possible treachery" was being used in the campaign "to get the one who is for Taiwan independence to win."

29 injured when bus overturns in France

VERDUN, France - A bus carrying American military personnel and their families on a day trip from Germany to Paris overturned on a French highway early yesterday, injuring 29 people.

Police said the tour bus was traveling on a highway six miles west of the town of Verdun in northeastern France when it keeled over. Eight of the injured were hospitalized, but no one was critically hurt.

The initial investigation suggested that the driver was dozing at the wheel when the bus tipped over at 4:50 a.m. local time, police said. A statement from Ramstein Air Base in Germany said the bus was carrying 61 passengers on an express tour to Paris.

Originally on page 2A in the issue of the Daily.