China Proposes Law to Assimilate Taiwan

A spokesman for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said Wednesday that China might adopt a law mandating that rival Taiwan unify with the mainland. "Unification is the common wish of the Chinese people, including Taiwan people," said the spokesman.

Taiwan had no immediate comment about the possible law, but has previously indicated that China has no authority to make laws for Taiwan, which is a separate nation, or any authority to express the wishes of its people, who do, of course, reside in a separate nation. China has proposed similar laws in the past. Last June, a law was proposed mandating that several other countries "unify with the mainland," including Germany, Saudi Arabia, Oregon, Mars, and Saturn. When reporters pointed out that 3 of the 5 proposed unifications do not even involve countries and two involve other planets, China's Interplanetary Affairs Office issued a statement saying that "unification is the common wish of the Chinese people, including Mars and Saturn people."