The Third
Session of the 10th National People’s Congress (NPC) -- the
annual full session of China's top legislature -- will convene on
Saturday. NPC deputy and spokesman Jiang Enzhu appeared at a press
conference held in the Great Hall of the People Friday morning to
outline the upcoming session and answer questions from
reporters.
Jiang said that the proposed anti-secession law, which the NPC
will consider during its session, is not in any way a law on the
use of force against Taiwan or a war mobilization order.
"On the contrary, this is a law that will promote the
development of cross-Straits relations and promote peaceful
reunification," said Jiang.
The law will reaffirm the government's adherence to the basic
principle of peaceful reunification and "one country, two systems,
" the spokesman stated.
It will also clarify and consolidate, in the form of law, the
government's policy on developing cross-Straits relations,
promoting direct trade, mail, and air and shipping links and
protecting the legitimate rights and interests of Taiwan
compatriots.
"The law will manifest the common will of the entire Chinese people
to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as
well as their zero tolerance toward any attempt by the Taiwan
independence secessionist forces to make Taiwan secede from China
under any name and by any means," he said.
Also during the session, the NPC will review the request of Jiang Zemin to resign from his
chairmanship of the State Central Military Commission (CMC). The
delegates will elect his replacement and appoint members nominated
by the new chairman.
Jiang Zemin, 78, resigned as chairman of the Communist Party CMC
last September, and was succeeded by Hu Jintao.
Following the practice of the past two decades, Hu -- also
president of China -- is expected to be elected to the chair of the
State CMC as well.
The NPC deputies will also hear and review the government work
report to be delivered by Premier Wen Jiabao on the opening day of
the session, and reports on the government budget and on economic
and social development plans.
The State Council has proposed that the NPC approve a 247.7
billion yuan (US$29.8 billion) national defense budget for the year
2005.
"This is still a fairly small amount compared with (the military
spending) of other major countries in the world, in terms of its
proportion to China's total financial expenditures and gross
national product," said spokesman Jiang.
Most of the money is earmarked for pay and benefit increases for
service members, demobilization of soldiers discharged in the
country's latest move to cut troop strength by 200,000, and
armament upgrades to modernize China's national defense, Jiang
said.
(Jiang Enzhu, a native of Jiangsu
Province born in 1938, is a member of the NPC Standing
Committee and director of the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee.)
(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2005)
