Secession -- Taiwan

Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian announced that the island's National Unification Council would "cease functioning" and the National Unification Guidelines would also cease to apply. Chen declared that "Taiwan has no intention of changing the status quo."

The Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China issued a joint statement condemning Chen's move. "The level and danger of 'de jure independence' activities, pushed by Chen Shui-bian through 'constitutional reform', continues to rise," it warned. President Hu Jintao later denounced it as a "dangerous step" toward Taiwan independence.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman urged the US to stick to the commitments on Taiwan question and to take substantial efforts to oppose Taiwan independence.