The anti-secession law being drafted by China's top legislature conforms to the fundamental interests of compatriots across the Taiwan Straits as well as the Chinese nation.

It will not only promote cross-Straits relations and a peaceful reunification, but also help curb separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence" and maintain peace and stability across the Straits.

Li Guikang, a deputy director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong, made these comments yesterday at a seminar to mark the 10th anniversary of former president Jiang Zemin's eight-point proposal on solving the Taiwan question.

On January 30, 1995, Jiang delivered a speech of "historical significance" in Beijing "Continue to Promote the Reunification of the Motherland" which offered eight major proposals to achieve national reunification. The gist is to uphold the one-China principle and oppose "Taiwan independence."

In recent years, Taiwan splittists have been trying to separate Taiwan from China through "constitutional" transformation, which has seriously undermined Taiwan people's general interests and harmed cross-Straits relations, said Li. He reiterated the central government's firm determination to keep Taiwan part of the motherland.

"We will never allow anyone to use any means to separate Taiwan from China," he said.

Representatives from various sectors of the Hong Kong community also spoke highly of Jiang's proposals at the seminar. They regarded the proposals as guidelines to solve the Taiwan question under "peaceful reunification" and "one country, two systems."

Secretary for Constitutional Affairs of Hong Kong Stephen Lam said the "one country, two systems" principle has proven to be a success in the seven years since Hong Kong's return to the motherland.

On Beijing's latest suggestion to reopen talks with the Taiwan authorities, Tsang Hin-chi, a member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, said it shows again the mainland's sincerity in dealing with the island.

Overseas Chinese in Japan and Chinese Japanese also held a seminar in Tokyo to mark the 10th anniversary of Jiang's proposal.

(China Daily February 1, 2005)