Kenneth Lieberthal, a former Clinton administration China adviser, says the new Anti-Secession Law is designed to avoid conflicts across the Taiwan Straits.  

Lieberthal, a scholar at the Brookings Institution, made the comments in an interview with Hong Kong-based Phoenix Satellite TV.

"I think that this law is designed in part to try to reinforce the mainland's creditability in Taiwan."

The China expert also says that the law expresses the willingness of the Chinese mainland to negotiate with Taiwan on an equal footing.

"They look forward to expanding contacts in terms of communications, economic ties and other areas. And they will treat Taiwan as an equal in the negotiations."

The law says "non-peaceful means" will be used to protect China's territorial integrity. Lieberthal warns that it might be miscalculated in Taiwan.

"To me, the biggest danger is the miscalculation. By keeping the red line so vague, the risk of miscalculation has to be considered to be still very much a real risk."

(CRI.com March 15, 2005)