Wed, May 12, 2004 page3

• MAC stays mum on `unification law'

  • By Melody Chen / STAFF REPORTER
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  The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) declined yesterday to comment on Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's (溫家寶) statement in London that Beijing will seriously consider making a unification law, a move believed to be a counter to President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) constitutional reform agenda.

  Council Vice Chairman Chen Ming-tong (陳明通) would not say whether the proposal to create the law has the potential to change the cross-strait status quo, noting: "Cross-strait affairs need to be solved through negotiation."

  On Sunday, Wen, who took a 10-day trip to parts of Europe including Germany, the UK and Italy, met with Chinese embassy officials, businesspeople, students and some representatives of overseas Chinese in London.

  One representative of an overseas Chinese group suggested during the meeting that China make the unification law as soon as possible because the law might help Beijing solve its sovereign disputes with Taiwan peacefully.

  Wen said the suggestion was "very important" and promised to give serious thought to it.

  Chinese academics, including Zhang Nianchi (章念馳), director of the Institute of East Asian Studies in Shanghai, brought forth the idea to make the law for the first time last year.

  Wen is believed to be the first Chinese leader to formally respond to the idea.

  Zhang, in an interview with the Chinese-language newspaper the United Daily News, said he was not surprised by Wen's verbal endorsement of the idea.

  The academic published an article in March to illustrate the urgency for Beijing to create the law in the light of Taiwan's referendum and constitutional reform planned for 2006.

  In his article, Zhang described the referendum and constitutional reform as legal efforts to "legitimize Taiwan's independence."

  Over the years, Beijing has been busy curbing all possible moves to pursue Taiwan's independence and ignored laws made in Taiwan that may help the island achieve its desired status, according to Zhang.

  It is Chen Shui-bian's timetable for constitutional reform that alarmed Beijing about the possibility of Taiwan's independence being attained through legal work, Zhang said, adding that Taiwan has forced China to consider making the unification law.

  Contents of the law, Zhang said, will give clear definitions to "unification," "separation" and "Taiwan's independence." The law shall also map out stages to achieve unification and approaches to reach the aim.

  The law shall also regulate how to counter moves towards Taiwan's independence. It would provide legal measures to handle independence actions.

  "Peace is one way to achieve unification; war is the other," said Zhang.

  Therefore, Zhang said, while the law should say how to unify with Taiwan through peaceful means, it also should define conditions under which war is permitted.

  However, Chang Wu-yen (張五岳), a professor at the Institute of China Studies in Tamkang University, said it is highly unlikely Beijing would pass the unification law.

  Wen's answer to the request to make the law was not surprising, the professor said. On that occasion in London, "it would be really strange if Wen did not say the unification issue was very important," he added.

  Chang said Wen responded to the idea of the law only when asked by his audience.

  "He was passively answering a question," he said.

  If China unilaterally makes the law without taking Taiwanese people's opinions into account, the law will be unrealistic, Chang said.

  "Hong Kong's Basic Law was not made by Beijing alone, either," he said.

  "What both sides really need now is a peace and stability framework," Chang said.
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