Local pro-Taiwan independence activists yesterday said that China is the troublemaker in the Taiwan Strait and suggested a new Constitution as a response to China's drafting the "Anti-independence Law," a secession law that could provide the legal basis for using force against Taiwan.
"We actually do not have to worry about that too much because it is China's law, not ours. And their law enforcement offices do not have jurisdiction in Taiwan," said Chen Lung-chu (陳隆志), president and CEO of the Taiwan New Century Foundation (台灣新世紀文教基金會).
PHOTO: LIU HSING-TEH, TAIPEI TIMES
According to Chen, China's drafting of the "Anti-independence Law" is to legalize its potential military strikes against Taiwan in the future. However, he also said that China's new law is only effective within its own territory. Taiwan has never been a part of its territory, so no matter what law it uses, it is useless.
Chen made his remarks yesterday at the beginning of a seminar organized by the foundation. He said that the Taiwanese people should actually respect China's establishment of the new law.
"The real relationship between us [Beijing and Taipei] should be to respect each other and help each other. However, unfortunately they [China] never give up using force against Taiwan, although we have more than once tried to show our sincerity," Chen said.
"We are two different countries. Taiwan is an independent country. This is a fact and it is very clear," he continued. Former National Security Council senior advisor and former Taiwan Solidarity Union secretary-general Su Chin-chiang (蘇進強) also echoed Chen's remarks at the seminar.
"What we need is constructive and cooperative thoughts and attitudes, instead of challenging each other like this," Su said.
In the meantime, Su also endorsed the pan-green camp's idea to draft a new Constitution in 2006.
"A new Constitution will protect our country," Su said. "Our current Constitution was drafted in China for Chinese people. However, we do not own that soil any more and we need something for Taiwanese people, not the Chinese."
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
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