Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

CHINA'S ANTI-SECESSION LAW MARKS TURNING POINT FOR TAIWAN: PREMIER

ROC Central News Agency

2005-03-15 20:49:45

    Taipei, March 14 (CNA) Premier Frank Hsieh claimed Tuesday that China's enactment of the Anti-Secession Law targeting Taiwan is not only a crisis but also a turning point for the nation.

    Hsieh made the remarks in response to questions on the Anti-Secession Law from ruling Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Tang Bi-a during a general interpellation session of the Legislative Yuan.

    No country in the world has enacted any law to legalize its eventual use of force in the way China has done, Hsieh said, adding that pursuing peace and co-existence is a current international trend.

    Hsieh said the enactment of the Anti-Secession Law has not only infringed upon international trends but has also let the international community see that China is a bellicose regime while Taiwan is a peace-loving country.

    The premier called on the people of Taiwan to keep calm in the face of Beijing's newly enacted law, saying that many friendly countries have voiced their opposition to China's use of non-peaceful means to resolve the Taiwan issue.

    During her interpellation, Tang invited Hsieh to sound a "peace bell" to mark the common desire of the people of Taiwan for a permanent peace.

    China's rubber-stamp parliament -- the National People's Congress -- passed the Anti-Secession Law Monday to provide the legal basis for China's use of non-peaceful means against Taiwan if the island moves toward independence.

    Officials from the Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council have said that the law is tantamount to a "blank check" authorizing the Chinese military to use force against Taiwan, and accused Beijing of jeopardizing peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

    China still considers the island part of its territory despite their split in 1949 after a civil war. Beijing has repeatedly threatened to use force against Taiwan if the island declare independence.

(By Luis Huang)

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