China's top legislator Wu Bangguo promised on Wednesday that the
national legislature will do its best to reflect fully the common
will of all Chinese people in making the anti-secession law.
The lawmakers will follow the Constitution and the central
authorities' policies on Taiwan, Wu stressed at the closing meeting
of the 13th session of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC)
Standing Committee.
The draft law will be submitted for deliberation at the third
full session of the 10th NPC, slated for March next year.
Wu said that one of three major historic tasks of the Chinese
government and the Communist Party is to achieve the reunification
of the motherland. "We have made unremitting efforts with extreme
sincerity to develop relations across the Taiwan Straits and
promote the peaceful reunification of the motherland for a long
time," he said.
However, in recent years, the Taiwan authorities have
accelerated agitation for Taiwan independence, especially through
the so-called constitutional reform.
Wu said that it is "absolutely necessary" to formulate the
anti-secession law to curb the secessionists in Taiwan, promote the
peaceful reunification of the motherland, maintain peace and
stability across the Straits, safeguard China's sovereignty and
territorial integrity and maintain the fundamental interests of the
Chinese nation.
"Now the conditions for making the law are ripe," said Wu,
pointing to the support of citizens, lawmakers and advisors on the
mainland as well as of many overseas Chinese.
China's Constitution states that Taiwan is an indispensable part
of China and realizing the reunification of the motherland is the
sacred duty of all Chinese people, including the people in
Taiwan.
Positions on the Taiwan issue of past central government
leaders, together with state policies, the research of legal
experts and experts in Taiwan affairs provide clear guidelines and
a policy foundation for the formulation of the law, said Wu.
Peaceful reunification is the best way to maintain the
fundamental interests of all Chinese people, including compatriots
in Taiwan, and will be conducive to promoting cross-straits
relations, safeguarding peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific
region and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,
he said.
"There is no one in the world who is more willing than us to
achieve reunification through peaceful means. As long as there is a
gleam of hope, we will try our best to achieve peaceful
reunification and will never give up," said Wu.
"At the same time, it must be made clear that to maintain
national sovereignty and territorial integrity is the core
interests of our nation and the common obligation of all Chinese
people, including the Taiwan compatriots," he said.
"No sovereign state will allow actions of secession, and every
sovereign state has the right to take necessary means to safeguard
national sovereignty and territorial integrity," said Wu.
(Xinhua News Agency December 30, 2004)