1. On taking non-peaceful means to stop Taiwan's secession from China by the "Taiwan independence" forces

 

The Anti-Secession Law Provides for taking non-peaceful means to stop the "Taiwan independence" forces from making Taiwan secede from China, so as to protect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. No sovereign state can tolerate secession and every sovereign state has the right to take necessary means to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Here I wish to stress a number of points:

 

First, peaceful reunification is our basic policy. Non-peaceful means is the last resort taken only when all peaceful efforts to stop "Taiwan independence" have been proven futile.

 

Second, our policy of taking non-peaceful means to stop "Taiwan independence" forces from making Taiwan secede form China has been consistent, clear-cut and public. There has been no change in our policy, nor has the threshold for non-peaceful means been lowered.

 

Third, employing non-peaceful means and other necessary measures shall be decide on and executed in strict accordance with law.

 

Fourth, the non-peaceful means and other necessary measures are solely targeted at the secessionists in the name of "Taiwan independence", and by no means against our Taiwan compatriots. Under any circumstance, the state shall exert its utmost to protect the lives, property and other legitimate rights and interest of Taiwan civilians and foreign nationals in Taiwan, and to minimize losses. At the same time, the state shall protect the rights and interests of the Taiwan compatriots in other part of China in accordance with law.

 

 

2. The impact of the Anti-Secession Law on cross-Straits relations

 

The Anti-secession law is a domestic law of China, and a defensive measure aimed at maintaining our sovereignty and territorial integrity. Taiwan is part of Chinese territory and has never been a state. Though the two sides of the Taiwan Straits are not yet reunified, the fact that both the mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China has never changed. Such is the status quo of the cross-Straits relations. The Chen Shui-bian authorities have tried to change that status quo through "de jure Taiwan independence", which is what we can never tolerate. By enacting this law, we aim to maintain the status quo that both Taiwan and the mainland belong to one and the same China. We have notices that the overwhelming majority of countries in the world understand and support this legislation. We have also noticed the responses from the different quarters in Taiwan. We are not a bit surprised by the malicious attacks form the Chen Shui-bian authorities and the other secessionist forces in Taiwan, because the law has a clear-cut objective that is to oppose and check Taiwan's secession from China by the "Taiwan independence" forces. If the Taiwan authorities do not go for "Taiwan independence" as they have promised, they have got no reason to fear, worry, or oppose the legislation. In any case, the enactment of the Anti-Secession Law is a defensive measure aimed at safeguarding China's sovereignty, territorial integrity and the prospect of a peaceful reunification. It is the "Taiwan independence" activities perpetrated by the Taiwan authorities that are the real source of tension in the Taiwan Straits.