China cranks up pressure on Taiwan

[Menydh]

China cranks up pressure on Taiwan

Reuters
March 14, 2005

BEIJING (Reuters) - China has underlined its paramount political and economic objectives at an annual parliament session, authorising the use of force if Taiwan moved toward independence and reiterating commitment to stable growth.

The National People's Congress also approved Jiang Zemin's retirement from his final official post, naming President Hu Jintao to replace him as head of the ceremonial state military commission -- a small but significant final step in a leadership transition that began in 2002.

Premier Wen Jiabao kicked off the annual parliament meeting 10 days ago with vows to abolish agriculture taxes two years ahead of schedule, keep inflation in check and prevent the economy from overheating.

As parliament closed on Monday, Wen sounded the twin bells of reform and caution in guiding the world's seventh-largest economy, calling for stable growth and warning that clamping down too hard could lead to joblessness.

"The Chinese economy is like 'sailing against the currents': either it keeps forging ahead or it will fall behind," he said.

In between, parliament talked up the need for increased safety measures to help halt the huge loss of life in China's dangerous coal mines, and for efforts to bridge the yawning gap between poor farmers and their increasingly wealthy urban counterparts.

By far the biggest issue on the agenda, however, was Taiwan, which China regards as part of its territory.

Parliament passed the anti-secession law by a vote of 2,896 to none, with only two abstentions and Wen said the measure was aimed at peace, not war.

NOT A WAR LAW

"This is a law to strengthen and promote cross-Strait relations, for peaceful reunification, not targeted at the people of Taiwan, nor is it a law of war," Wen told a news conference.

"Even a foot of cloth can be stitched, even a kilo of millet can be ground up, how is it that even our own blood brothers can't make up?" said Wen, quoting a Chinese proverb.

Beijing has vowed to reunite the island democracy of 23 million people with the mainland, by force if necessary.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), which formulates policy towards Beijing, issued a strong protest against the anti-secession law, calling it a "serious provocation" that was unhelpful to the development of cross-Strait relations.

"It also brought emotional pain to the Taiwanese people," said chairman Joseph Wu. "At this point, the most important matter is that the Chinese government should sincerely apologise to the Taiwanese people for their grave mistake."

China's Hu pledged to protect the sovereignty of the world's most populous nation on Sunday, urging the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to "step up preparations for possible military struggle" and "prevent wars and win the wars if any".

The anti-secession law authorises "non-peaceful means" if Taiwan declares or moves toward independence, but Wen declined to say what, exactly, those means were.

China hopes the legislation will deter Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian from pushing for independence during his second and final term that ends in 2008.

Analysts say the PLA has no immediate plans to attack Taiwan, over which Beijing has claimed sovereignty since Nationalist troops fled there in 1949 at the end of the Chinese civil war.

Wen defended the legislation by invoking the 1861-65 American civil war, which prevented southern states from seceding.

"If you care to read two anti-secession resolutions adopted in the United States around 1861, you will find that they are very similar to each other," Wen said of the resolutions and the anti-secession law.

"In the United States, the civil war broke out, but we here do not wish to see such a situation," he added.

Chinese journalists broke into loud applause when Wen said China feared no one in its quest for reunification with Taiwan.

CHAMPION OF THE POOR

Parliament approved a defence budget of 247.7 billion yuan, up 12.6 percent from 2004.

The session also coincided with the resignation of Tung Chee-hwa as Hong Kong's chief executive. Tung was elected a top adviser to parliament, a face-saving promotion that allowed the unpopular leader to exit early after eight rocky years in office.

Deputies offered strong backing on Monday for Wen, who has cultivated an image as a champion of the poor, approving his report to parliament on the past year's achievements and the coming year's work with 2,868 for, 17 against and 13 abstentions.

In his report on the opening day, Wen targeted annual economic growth of 8 percent and consumer price inflation of about 4 percent in 2005, and said China would keep in place measures aimed at cooling breakneck credit and investment growth.

Wen has also pledged to exempt farmers from agricultural tax in 2006, two years ahead of schedule, and to expand job opportunities for rural workers, ensure compulsory education for all by 2007 and upgrade the rural health care system.

Finance Minister Jin Renqing's report -- which proposed a smaller budget deficit than in recent years in keeping with efforts to put the economy on to a more sustainable growth track -- was also approved on Monday.

The parliament rubber-stamps decisions made by the Communist Party but delegates use "no" votes and abstentions on bills, work reports and personnel changes to express discontent.

Chinese deputies issued a mild rebuke of the government's record against crime and corruption, giving reports by the top court and prosecutor a relatively high number of "no" votes.

In addition to China's yawning wealth gap, corruption tops the list of reasons for widespread protests in recent years.



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