Top legislator Wu Bangguo said in Beijing Wednesday that enacting the Anti-Secession Law is a solemn mission for of the legislature, believing lawmakers will do a good job of it.
   
"Formulating the Anti-Secession Law is a major event in China's political life," said Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), while delivering his NPC Standing Committee work report to the annual parliament session.
   
"We believe that under the joint efforts of all deputies, the common will of the whole Chinese people will be voiced. The national legislature is sure to fulfill the solemn mission to do a good job in enacting the Anti-Secession Law."
   
To accomplish peaceful national reunification is one of the three historic tasks of China, however the "Taiwan independence" forces have been intensified their secessionist activities for Taiwan's secession from China.
   
To oppose and check the secessionist activities, promote peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits region, maintain national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and safeguard the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation, the chairpersons' meeting of the NPC Standing Committee proposed a draft of the Anti-Secession Law, which was unanimously passed at the 13th meeting of the Standing Committee last December, according to Wu.
   
The draft law is scheduled to be adopted at the ongoing NPC annual session slated for closing on March 14.
  
Wu said the draft Anti-Secession Law gives full expression to China's consistent position of doing the utmost with maximum sincerity for a peaceful reunification, demonstrate the common will and strong resolve of the entire Chinese people to safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, while never allowing the "Taiwan independence" forces to make Taiwan secede from China under any name or by any means.
   
"We always advocate for achieving national reunification by peaceful means. So long as there is a glimmer of hope for peaceful reunification, we will exert our utmost to make it happen rather than give it up," he said. "No sovereign state can tolerate secession and every sovereign state has the right to use necessary means to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity."
   
According to the draft Anti-Secession Law, China would use non-peaceful means and other necessary measures in the event that the "Taiwan independence" forces should act to cause the fact of Taiwan's secession from China, or that major incidents entailing Taiwan's secession from China should occur, or that possibilities for a peaceful reunification should be completely exhausted, said Wang Zhaoguo, vice-chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, Tuesday.
   
Under those circumstances, "the state shall employ non-peaceful means and other necessary measures to protect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Wang told parliament when he made explanations on the draft Anti-Secession Law.

(Xinhua News Agency March 9, 2005)