Taipei - Taiwan's ruling Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang (KMT), came under fire Monday from opposition lawmakers who said it was selling out the island to China by promoting cross-strait unification.

Lai Ching-te, caucus leader of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), criticized the KMT, referring to a controversial statement made by KMT Vice Chairman Kuan Chung during a visit to China earlier this month. Kuan said it was a KMT goal to unify Taiwan and China.

"Unification will take care of itself if the KMT remains as governing party for a long time," Kuan was quoted as saying by China's state-run People's Daily newspaper last week.

"What Kuan Chung said has proved that the so-called liberal policy adopted by the Ma government towards China is aimed at achieving cross-strait unification," Lai said.

In the March presidential elections, KMT candidate Ma Ying-jeou beat his DPP opponent Frank Hsieh. In his inaugural speech Ma vowed as long as he was in office, there would be "no unification, no independence and no use of force," known as the "three no" pledge.

DPP lawmakers were swift to make use of Kuan's statement, saying the controversial remarks represented Ma's "authentic thinking."

The KMT used to govern China until it was defeated by the Chinese Communists at the end of a civil war in 1949 and fled to the island to form an interim government, hoping to recover the mainland one day.

But after more than five decades in Taiwan, the KMT has transformed into a Taiwanese party and largely toned down its unification platform, though some hardcore members still adhere to eventual union with the mainland under democracy.

China, on the other hand, has considered Taiwan an integral part of the mainland, that must be brought back to the Chinese fold, if necessary by force.

Both the Presidential Office and the KMT flatly rejected DDP accusations, saying Ma never changed his "three no" pledge. Kuan just voiced a personal opinion, they added.

Kuan was not immediately available for comment. (dpa)