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GIO urges Beijing not to push `anti-secession' law

Government Information Office (GIO) Director-General Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) urged the Chinese government to withdraw its planned "anti-secession" law because such legislation would become a huge obstacle for cross-strait issues, according to a GIO press release distributed yesterday.

According to the press release, Lin, who is visiting Japan, was interviewed by a Japanese newspaper and TV station, on Wednesday.

Lin said that in addition to legalizing its motivation for taking military action against Taiwan, the Chinese government would also take advantage of the law to warn Taiwanese businesspeople in China to cooperate with them or else be regarded as pro-Taiwan independence activists and arrested or deported.

During the interview, Lin emphasized that Taiwan is already an independent country and President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) has been working hard on promoting this idea ever since he took his office in 2000.

However, the Chinese government regards Chen's efforts as a giant step toward Taiwan independence, he said.

"I understand that the Chinese government wants to take advantage of the law to frustrate pro-Taiwan independence activists. However, the establishment of an anti-secession law will also irritate Taiwanese people," Lin was quoted as saying. "There may be protests against the law or the Taiwanese people may ask the government to organize another referendum on this issue. We do not wish to experience any chaos."

Lin also told Japanese reporters that Taiwan welcomes the US-Japan security alliance.

"The alliance is a promise for Asian security. It is also a message to China's leaders that wars or unnecessary military challenges are not welcomed in the region," he said.

He also said that direct flights and direct sailings will not be considered as long as the Chinese government refuses to reject taking military action against Taiwan.

"I urge the Chinese government to withdraw this so-called anti-secession law because it will do nothing good for either sides; it is not worth it," he said.

In related news, Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) said on Wednesday that peace, and acceptance of an equal state-to-state relationship, remain the bottom line as far as Taiwan is concerned. Hsieh said he hoped that the Chinese leaders would "think before they leap," so they would not "do something that they may regret."
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