China provoces Taiwan with law

Taiwan has condemned a new Chinese law giving Beijing the legal right to use force against the island if it moves towards declaring formal independence.

Such “serious provocation” gravely affected regional security, Joseph Wu, chairman of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, said.

China’s National People’s Congress passed the controversial law on Monday.

China sees Taiwan as its territory, and says it reserves the right to use force if “peaceful reunification” fails.

The Congress broke into applause at the passage of the so called anti-secession law, which allows for the use of “non-peaceful and other necessary measures”.