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China plans anti-secession law |
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Aimed at Taiwan, China plans to enact a law against secession. The country’s top legislature, the National People’s Congress [NPC], which is scheduled to hold its 13th session from December 25 to 29 in Beijing, announced that the draft anti-secession law will be discussed at the meeting. The draft legislation has attracted international attention because of its evident objective of preventing “Taiwanese independence.
The NPC has explained that the anti-secession law will not be applicable to Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions [SARs] of China. But, it affirmed that the legislation “aims at peaceful reunification” of Taiwan. China has, however, rejected suggestions that it would lead to military action by Beijing. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lui Jianchao said on Dec. 21 the law has been proposed with the “sole purpose of containing Taiwan’s splittist activities”. He said, “The law is meant to promote peace and stability of Taiwan Straits and at some point the peaceful reunification.”
The spokesman’s comments were the first time the Chinese Government confirmed suggestions by Taiwanese and US officials and political analysts that Taiwan was the target of the law. Taiwan’s Government says the law could serve as a pretext for an attack on the island which has been separated from the mainland since 1949 but is claimed by China as its territory.
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