Kenneth Lieberthal, a former
Clinton administration China adviser, says the new Anti-Secession law is
designed to avoid conflicts across the Taiwan Straits.
Lieberthal, who's a scholar at the Brookings Institution, made the comments
in an interview with Hong Kong-based Phoenix Satellite TV.
"I think that this law is designed in part to try to reinforce the mainland's
creditability in Taiwan. When the mainland says that Taiwan, if you go too far,
we are going to respond. Another way putting it is, please don't go too far."
The China expert also says that the law expresses the willingness of the
Chinese mainland to negotiate with Taiwan on an equal footing.
"They look forward to expanding contacts in terms of communications, economic
ties and other areas. And they will treat Taiwan as an equal in the negotiations
themselves."
However, Lieberthal warns that although the law says " non-peaceful means"
will be used to protect China's territorial integrity, it might be miscalculated
in Taiwan.
"To me, the biggest danger is the miscalculation. By keeping the red line so
vague, the risk of miscalculation has to be considered to be still very much a
real risk."
