White House calls China anti-secession law "unfortunate" News
White House calls China anti-secession law "unfortunate"

[JURIST] As world capitals reacted Monday to China's adoption of a law [JURIST report] authorizing "non-peaceful means" of reunification with Taiwan, the White House called the legislation "unfortunate" while Russia said it understood China's position [Xinhua report]. In Washington, White House spokesman Scott McClellan noted that that the US "does not support Taiwan independence," but he told reporters that the law "does not serve the purpose of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait." The Japanese media viewed the law with alarm and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda [official profile], speaking hours after National People's Congress announced the results of its vote, told reporters that Japan is concerned about the law's potential "negative impact… on peace and stability" in the area. Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi also urged peaceful resolution of the Taiwan dispute [Kyodo report] and said the law is likely to be one of the top issues during Condoleezza Rice's visit to Beijing next week [BBC report]. AFP has more.