[JURIST] Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party [official website] announced a draft bill Monday that would give the President of Taiwan the power to take action to "safeguard Taiwan's sovereignty and territory" – if necessary, without legislative approval. The draft legislation, brought forward in response to China's newly-passed anti-secession law [JURIST report] in expected to be formally presented sometime Monday. It will authorize the President to take actions, including referendums and (apparently mirring language of the Chinese legilsation) "non-peaceful" steps to respond to any threat to Taiwan's current quasi-independent status. The President would be required to present any such action to the legislature within 30 days. The Taiwanese draft bill rejects China's identification of the issue as an 'internal matter' and classifies it as an international concern that must be addressed by the international community. China's anti-secession law [JURIST Gazette] allows for the use of military force to reunify the two nations if Taiwan were to take any steps towards formal independence, or if all peaceful means of reunification have failed. Read the Taiwan Mainland Affairs Committee [official website] press release on the anti-secession law. The Taipei Times has local coverage.