[JURIST] Taiwanese Premier Frank Hsieh [official profile] has warned that China's planned approval of an anti-secession law [JURIST report] will strain relations between the two countries, destroying the goodwill recently developed by the opening of commercial flights between the two nations over the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday. The legislation would make it illegal for Taiwan [government website] to declare independence under Chinese law. China [government website] considers Taiwan to be nothing more than a renegade province. Hsieh appealed to the international community to prevent China from passing the legislation, saying that Taiwan was a sovereign nation and that its 23 million inhabitants should be able to determine their fate. Taiwan has previously threatened to pass an anti-annexation law in response to China, and hold a referendum [JURIST report] on formal independence from the mainland. Legal analysts have argued the the proposed anti-secession law would give China the legal right to re-integrate Taiwan by any means, including force. China is expected to review the legislation next week. The Taipei Times has local coverage.