As for the possible and specific contents of the "anti-separation law", our understanding is that it will present "unification" as the only valid option in cross-strait relations. It will also unilaterally define the meaning, scope and legal consequences of "anti-separatist" activities, and explicitly stipulate which actions and conditions would constitute de facto independence and thus separation from the motherland. The law would also enforce legal responsibility and possible punishment for actions perceived as promoting independence, as well as guidelines for the treatment of "separatists" before, during and after the potential use of force against Taiwan. These regulations would apply to citizens, enterprises, organizations and government officials in both China and Taiwan. In fact, the law can be seen as an enabling act of legalizing war, authorizing the People's Liberation Army, Armed Police and Militia to resolve the "Taiwan problem" through non-peaceful measures. At the same time, the law will again declare the "Taiwan problem" as an internal affair and state that no external force should interfere in the Taiwan Strait.
The passage of the "anti-separation law" would have a severe impact on cross-strait relations and on the peace and stability of the region. Firstly, as the name of the law clearly entails, China wishes to declare the current status quo in the Taiwan Strait as "unified" and not "separate", a claim that runs counter to the present cross-strait political reality of "two separate and equal entities" and is tantamount to unilaterally changing the status quo. Secondly, in formulating the "anti-separation law", China wishes to establish itself as the sole force that can dominate and shape the cross-strait environment at will. In doing so, China completely ignores the international community's understanding of the situation in the Taiwan Strait. China not only threatens to seriously damage regional peace and stability, but does so in a provocative defiance of the global community that is very concerned about security and stability in the region. In particular, China authorizes itself to interpret the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, thus violating the interests of other nations in this region. Another point to consider is that Taiwan is a pluralistic, democratic society where the population enjoys freedom of speech. Although China's proposed "anti-separation law" is a domestic law, the fact is that for Taiwanese businesspeople investing in China, Taiwanese students and tourists in the mainland, and even international corporations, this law will constitute a form of "red terror", which in turn will certainly affect normal exchanges across the Taiwan Strait. |