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TSU drafts `anti-annexation' legislation

Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Chairman Shu Chin-chiang yesterday announces the TSU's draft ``anti-annexation law,'' asTSU Secretary-General Chen Chien-ming, left, and TSU Legislator Lo Chih ming look on. PHOTO:CNA

The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) yesterday unveiled its draft of an "anti-annexation" law that underscores Taiwan's sovereignty, its separate status from China and states that both sides of the Taiwan Strait should permanently renounce use of any non-peaceful means to unilaterally change the cross-strait status quo.

The draft is aimed at countering Beijing's proposed "anti-secession" law, said TSU caucus whip Lo Chih-ming (羅志明) at a news conference held with fellow TSU caucus whips Lai Hsin-yuan (賴幸媛) and Ho Min-hao (何敏豪).

According to the 11-article draft, the government should call a referendum and amend the Constitution to safeguard Taiwan's sovereignty in the event of the cross-strait status quo is threatened.

The president can -- according to power bestowed upon him by the Constitution -- resort to non-peaceful means to resist China's annexation, the draft states.

"This is Taiwan's 11 articles' against the 11 articles of China's anti-secession law," Lo said, referring to the legislation which is expected to be passed by China's National People's Congress in Beijing on Monday.

Stating that Taiwan has existed alongside China since the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on Oct. 1, 1949, with the status quo being that the two sides are independent of each other and have no jurisdiction over each other, the draft states that "Taiwan is already an independent, sovereign state and it is not an issue for Taiwan to declare independence or seek separation from China."

Taiwan and China should maintain peace and stability across the Strait and respect each other's independence and autonomy in terms of domestic and foreign affairs, it states.

TSU Chairman Shu Chin-chiang (蘇進強) said that the US and Japan, aside from condemning China's proposed law, should also make substantial moves against the imminent threat posed by China.

"Should the Taiwan Strait be defined by China's `one China' principle as one under its jurisdiction, it would then jeopardize not only Taiwan's interests but also that of the US and Japan," Su said.

According to the draft, Taiwan and China must respect the fact of that they exist alongside each other and they should negotiate with each other on an equal footing to resolve their differences, It also states that Beijing's "one country, two systems" format for unification is unacceptable to the people of Taiwan.

Two sides should expand their economic and cultural exchanges to enhance mutual understanding and trust, said the draft, which also proposes that a cross-strait military confidence-building mechanism and code of conduct be set up to protect regional peace and stability.

Meanwhile, to help fight China's "anti-secession" legislation, the TSU said it would go all-out in support of the arm procurement budget now before the Legislative Yuan.

It would be tantamount to act of encouraging China to use force against Taiwan should the legislature fails to pass the budget, Shu said. He called on all parties to transcend partisan ideology and beef up Taiwan's national defense.

"This would allow us to show China our determination to defend ourselves," Shu said.
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