The cross-Straits relations will face severe challenges this
year, as the Taiwan authorities' efforts to seek 'de jure
independence' through the so-called 'constitutional reform' might
enter into a substantive' stage, a spokesman of China's top
legislature Sunday said in Beijing.
A series of "de-sinicizing" moves recently adopted by the Taiwan
authorities in an apparent push for secession showed strains on
mainland-Taiwan relations were lurking around, said Jiang Enzhu,
spokesman for the annual session of the Tenth National People's
Congress (NPC), at a press conference.
Two elections in Taiwan, namely the election of the "Legislative
Yuan" at the end of this year and the Taiwan leader election in
2008, are expected to bring changes to the political environment on
the island.
"No difficulties may challenge our faith in maintaining the
peaceful development of the cross-Straits relations, nor can any
new troubles sway our determination to check "Taiwan independence,"
Jiang said.
(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2007)