Mainland refutes Japanese version of Taiwan Relations Act

BEIJING - A mainland spokesman said on Wednesday that Japan's right-wing forces would not help "Taiwan Independence".

In response to former Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui's support for a Japanese version of the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, told a press conference that Lee's performance once again demonstrates his consistent backing for independence.

During Lee's vacation in Japan earlier this month, he touched on the issue of a Japanese version of the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which has governed relations between the United States and Taiwan since Sino-US diplomatic ties formally began in 1979.

Ma stressed peaceful development of cross-Straits relations to jointly achieve great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Commenting on whether Taiwan could have an "independence" referendum like Scotland's on Sept 18, Ma said the issues of Taiwan and Scotland are "completely different".

"We uphold the one-China policy and a consistent stand of opposing 'Taiwan Independence'," he said.

Ma also refuted the suggestion that Taiwan should abandon the claim of "the nine-dashed line" made by William Stanton, former director of the American Institute in Taiwan. The "nine-dashed line" refers to the demarcation line used by the mainland and Taiwan for their island claims in part of the South China Sea.

Ma said the South China Sea islands and adjacent sea areas are China's inherent territory, and that safeguarding China's sovereignty, territorial integrity and the interests of the entire Chinese nation, is a shared duty for people on both sides of the Straits.