Anti-Secession Law

The Anti-Secession Law is a law of the Peoples Republic of China concerning the political relationship between mainland China and Taiwan, adopted by the National Peoples Congress on March 14, 2005. Its stated purpose is opposing and checking Taiwanese independence, promoting peaceful national reunification, and preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China over Taiwan. Article 8 of the law formalizes the Peoples Republics longstanding position that it may use non-peaceful means against Taiwan if peaceful means for reunification are exhausted or if Taiwan moves toward formal independence. The law did not create new territorial claims but was intended to give existing Chinese policy toward Taiwan a formal statutory basis.