National lawmakers have warned of a growing danger of Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian pushing for de jure "independence" following his decision to scrap the island's council on unification with the mainland.

National People's Congress (NPC) deputies of the Taiwan delegation yesterday condemned Chen for taking a more radical secessionist path aimed at "Taiwan independence."

"His decision to scrap the council and its guidelines has paved the way for his attempt to pursue de jure 'independence' for Taiwan," said Yang Guoqing, head of the delegation and an NPC standing committee member.

"The selfish move ignores the fundamental interests of Taiwan people by making our Taiwan compatriots a hostage to his own secessionist scheme."

Chen announced on February 27 that the island's policy-making "national unification council" would cease to function, and its 15-year-old guidelines would cease to apply.

The move is widely considered part of Chen's attempt to legalize "Taiwan independence" through writing a new "constitution" for the island before his second and final term ends in 2008.

Yang told a delegation discussion that Chen's move threatens cross-Straits peace and stability and goes against the common aspirations of people on both sides for stable cross-Straits ties.

Fan Zengsheng, another NPC deputy from Taiwan, said Chen's unjust cause would get little help.

"Taiwan independence" is doomed to failure because no Chinese people will tolerate any secessionist move, he said.

As a major effort to curb any secessionist move, China's military is ready to step up training and boost its ability to defend the nation's territory, a top army official was quoted as saying on Sunday by Xinhua News Agency.

Guo Boxiong, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, denounced Chen's decision to scrap the council and the guidelines as a grave step towards de jure "independence" of Taiwan, Xinhua said.

"That's a grave provocation of the one-China principle universally accepted by the international community and a grave confrontation with all Chinese, including Taiwan people, and an act that seriously undermines cross-Straits peace and stability," Guo was quoted as saying.

He made the remarks at a People's Liberation Army delegation's discussion of Premier Wen Jiabao's government work report.

"We resolutely oppose 'Taiwan independence' and will never allow 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces to separate Taiwan from China under any name and by any means," he said.

(China Daily March 7, 2006)