Russia backs China on Taiwan

* Japan says law could have negative impact

MOSCOW: Russia expressed support Monday for a law passed by the Chinese parliament allowing Beijing to attack Taiwan should it move further toward independence.

A close Chinese ally with strong bilateral arms trade with Beijing, Moscow said it could not support Taiwan’s independence.

“Russia, without change, supports one principled position,” the Russia foreign ministry said in a statement. “We believe that there is only one China in the world, with Taiwan being its inalienable part,” the statement said.

“And from this standpoint, we do not support the independence of Taiwan in one form or another. We do not believe that the conception of ‘two Chinas’ or of ‘one China and one Taiwan’ are manageable,” the statement said. The National People’s Congress passed the legislation as it closed its 10-day annual session, with an overwhelming majority of 2,896 votes for the law and none against. Two delegates abstained.

Negative impact: Japan said on Monday that China’s anti-secession law, which mandates the use of force against Taiwan if the self-ruled island formally declares statehood, could negatively impact stability in the region.

Speaking after China’s parliament approved the contentious bill earlier in the day, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda reiterated that Japan wanted a peaceful solution to issues related to Taiwan, which China views as a renegade province.

“We are concerned from the standpoint that it may have a negative impact ... on peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and on relations between (China and Taiwan),” Hosoda told reporters.

“Regarding issues related to Taiwan, our country has consistently taken the stance that we are opposed to confrontation such as the use of military force. We are opposed to any kind of solution other than a peaceful solution,” he said. agencies

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