Mainland Affairs Council. The Executive Yuan

1. Background

Back in 1995, after former President Lee Teng-hui’s U.S. trip, Mainland scholars and the PRC’s National People’s Congress began to air the view of enacting something like the “unification law”. Since last February, intensive internal discussions on the subject were seen and heard on the Mainland. PRC authorities (including Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, and others) openly expressed their willingness to seriously consider the possibility of enacting a “unification law.” Apparently, a new wave was rising, advocating the enactment of the “unification law.” It is worthwhile to note its impact on the future development of cross-Strait relations.

2. The Negative Impact of the Enactment of “Unification Law” on Peace and Stability in the Taiwan Strait

Up to now, the so-called PRC unification law has not yet entered the legislative process. If it does, or if it goes so far as to be enacted, it will immediately have a grave, negative impact on the relations across the Taiwan Strait and between the Mainland, Taiwan, and the U.S., and on regional stability. In terms of cross-Strait relations, if the PRC enacts a “unification law” to serve as the legal basis for handling cross-Strait relations, it will indicate that it has shifted its dealings with Taiwan from the policy level to the legal level, further narrowing maneuvering room. Particularly, if the “unification law” involves a “unification timetable”, it will create pressure on the PRC and add a new element to the uncertainty in the Taiwan Strait. Enactment of the “unification law” will affect the security and stability of the Asia-Pacific region and lead to the unilateral change of the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. Undoubtedly, this constitutes a direct challenge to an international community anxious to see continuing stability in the Taiwan Strait. Besides, the peaceful-disturbing factors in the “unification law” may directly affect peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific and even the world. This runs contrary to the PRC’s approach and the image presented by its repeated claim of “peaceful rise.”

3. Taiwan’s Effort to Promote Stable and Peaceful Cross-Strait Relations

Peace and development are the two principal pillars of the ROC government’s policy on promoting cross-Strait relations. In his inaugural speech of May 20 this year, President Chen Shui-bian said that as long as there is the consent of the 23 million people of Taiwan, Taiwan would not rule out any possibility in the development of cross-Strait relations. But, he continued, Taiwan will make peaceful development its goal and the two sides should jointly seek to establish a “peace and stability framework”, resume the cross-Strait dialogue and negotiations, and maintain the stability in the Taiwan Strait together. Currently, Taiwan is persistently preparing to establish a “Committee for Cross-Strait Peace and Development” and to formulate the “Guidelines for Cross-Strait Peace and Development” to serve as its policy basis for promoting long-term peace and stability across the Strait.

4. Conclusion

Although the “unification law” has not entered the legislative process yet, the PRC is pointedly manipulating this subject, suggesting its intention to create confrontation between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, to provoke Taiwan, and to apply pressure on the countries concerned. The international community should take note of the fact that this may lead to regional tension and be prepared to explore every possible channel to exercise its clout to stop the PRC from moving further toward derailing regional peace and stability.

Last Update: September 29, 2004