Shecoda
03-14-2005, 10:49 AM
China Passes Taiwan Attack Law Despite Foreign Appeals
Monday, March 14, 2005
BEIJING — China's parliament approved a law Monday authorizing an attack to stop rival Taiwan (search) from pursuing formal independence, a day after President Hu Jintao told the Chinese military to be prepared for war.
The ceremonial National People's Congress (search) passed the law despite U.S. appeals for restraint and warnings by Taiwan that it would damage regional stability and tenuous relations between Beijing and Taipei.
Delegates to the NPC burst into applause after the vote, shown live on national television.
"This law ... represents the people's determination not to allow Taiwan to be separated from China by any means or any excuses," said Wu Bangguo (search), China's No. 2 leader and chairman of the parliament.
Taiwan and China split in 1949, but the communist mainland claims the self-ruled island as its territory and has threatened repeatedly to attack if it tries to make its de facto independence permanent.
The law doesn't give details of what specific developments might trigger an attack. It adds no new threats or conditions, but it codifies the measures for authorizing military action.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,150317,00.html
Monday, March 14, 2005
BEIJING — China's parliament approved a law Monday authorizing an attack to stop rival Taiwan (search) from pursuing formal independence, a day after President Hu Jintao told the Chinese military to be prepared for war.
The ceremonial National People's Congress (search) passed the law despite U.S. appeals for restraint and warnings by Taiwan that it would damage regional stability and tenuous relations between Beijing and Taipei.
Delegates to the NPC burst into applause after the vote, shown live on national television.
"This law ... represents the people's determination not to allow Taiwan to be separated from China by any means or any excuses," said Wu Bangguo (search), China's No. 2 leader and chairman of the parliament.
Taiwan and China split in 1949, but the communist mainland claims the self-ruled island as its territory and has threatened repeatedly to attack if it tries to make its de facto independence permanent.
The law doesn't give details of what specific developments might trigger an attack. It adds no new threats or conditions, but it codifies the measures for authorizing military action.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,150317,00.html