Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Monday the just-promulgated Anti-Secession Law is aimed to strengthen and advance ties across the Taiwan Straits and China will never allow or fear any foreign interference in the Taiwan issue.

The Anti-Secession Law is also aimed at maintaining peace and stability across the Straits and is by no means "a war mobilization order," Wen said at a press conference shortly after China's annual parliament session ended.

The National People's Congress, or parliament, adopted the Anti-Secession Law with an overwhelming vote of 2,896 to nil Monday morning, setting a legal framework to prevent Taiwan's secession from China and to promote peaceful national reunification.

Chinese President Hu Jintao signed a presidential order for the immediate promulgation of the law at Monday's session. The law became effective upon promulgation.

Wen said the ten-article law does not target Taiwan compatriots, but aims at opposing and checking "Taiwan independence" secessionist activities.

"It is not a law of war but one for the peaceful reunification of the motherland," he said. "It is not a law intended to change the status quo that both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one China, but one conducive to peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits."

The Taiwan issue is entirely an internal issue of China and solving the Taiwan issue "subjects to no interference by any outside forces," Wen told more than 700 Chinese and foreign journalists at the press conference, broadcast live through national television, radio, and major news websites.

"We are not willing to see that any foreign interference would occur, but we are not afraid of any interference should it occur,"Wen said.

The Taiwan issue is one left over from China's civil war of the late 1940s. Wen stressed that although the mainland and Taiwan are yet to be reunified, that does not change the fact there is only one China in the world.

According to the Anti-Secession Law, China would use "non-peaceful means and other necessary measures" to stop Taiwan's secession should all efforts for a peaceful reunification prove futile.

The premier said China is unwilling to see such circumstance occur. "So long as there is a glimmer of hope for peaceful reunification, we will exert our utmost to make it happen rather than give it up," he said.

The purpose of making such a law, Wen said, is to demonstrate "the common will and strong resolve" of the entire Chinese people, the 23 million Taiwan compatriots included, to safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and never to allow the "Taiwan independence" forces to make Taiwan secede from China.

Wen cited two US laws against secession made in 1861 before the Civil War of the United States, which have similar contents as China's.

Wen hoped that all Taiwan compatriots would understand the purpose of the legislation, and that nations and people who uphold the one-China policy and wish peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits would understand and support the law.

The Anti-Secession Law also states clearly it aims to promote exchanges between people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, and encourage and facilitate economic cooperation, the three "direct links" and exchanges in education, science and technology, culture and other fields, said Wen.

It also stipulates that the rights and interests of Taiwan businesspeople on the mainland shall be protected, he said in response to a relevant question raised by a Taiwanese reporter.

Peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits will facilitate businesspeople from Taiwan and abroad to invest in the mainland.

However, he said, "only when the 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces are checked, can we maintain peace in the cross-Straits region."

"The important speech Chinese President Hu Jintao delivered last week on the Taiwan question has stated clearly that we will protect the legitimate rights and interests of Taiwan businesspeople on the mainland," said the premier. "We will do whatever benefits the Taiwan people."

He said China will develop into a regular practice as early as possible the cross-Straits direct passenger charter flights that are conducted on festivals and holidays and will take measures to boost sales of farm produce from Taiwan, particularly from southern Taiwan, to the mainland.

China will also seek to resume the export of labor forces for mainland fishermen to work in Taiwan as early as possible, the premier said, adding, "We're also ready to take a series of preferential policies and convenient measures" to facilitate Taiwan businesspeople on the mainland.

Source: Xinhua