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Foreign offices voice their opinions about new law

Following the US' opposition to Beijing's call in its "anti-secession" bill for possible non-peaceful action directed at Taiwan, responses to the law from international foreign representative offices in Taipei were mixed yesterday.

Japan voiced serious concerns about the impact the law might have on cross-strait relations.

"From the perspective of [maintaining] peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, Japan is very concerned, even worried, about the possible consequences the law may have on cross-strait relations," a spokesman said yesterday at the Japanese Interchange Association's Taipei office.

At a press conference in Tokyo on Tuesday, Hatsuhisa Takashima, spokesman of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the ministry was aware of the parliamentary debate in China on the proposed bill.

"The system as well as the legislative procedure are different from ours, so I would like to refrain from making direct comments on their procedure," Takashima said.

Takashima reiterated that Japan would like to see the Taiwan issue "be resolved peacefully and diplomatically through dialogue between the two sides."

Japan "understands very well" Taipei's stance on the law and expressed concern about the law when Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office Deputy Director Sun Yafu (孫亞夫) visited Japan last month to lobby for support for the bill, an official at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Tokyo said.

It is unclear whether Japan, which declared peace in the Taiwan Strait as a "common security objective" with the US last month, will take a clearer and harder line on the bill.

"Japanese society is quite conservative," the Taiwanese official said.

The British Trade and Cultural Office (BTCO) in Taipei said yesterday it was unable to offer a view on the proposed anti-secession law until it sees the text, but noted it would like to see people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait seek real progress in cross-strait relations through practical measures.

"We and others in the international community are concerned about regional peace and stability," said a BTCO official, who requested anonymity. The UK and the international community would continue urging both Taiwan and China to avoid unilateral measures that might heighten tensions, the official said.

British ministers, the official said, welcomed recent assurances from their Chinese counterparts about China's intention to "seek a peaceful resolution to the Taiwan issue."
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