Chinese Coal - and oh yeah, something else

China is probably the most coal-dependent nation on the planet. As this Guardian piece notes, this has carried a pretty high price tag.

The other big China news this week is the passage of the anti-secession law by the National People's Congress - functionally, as close as China comes to a legislature. The law itself isn't particularly surprising. Many different sources have reacted to the less, shall we say, subtle parts of the bill - like this:

In the event that the "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces should act under any name or by any means to cause the fact of Taiwan's secession from China, or that major incidents entailing Taiwan's secession from China should occur, or that possibilities for a peaceful reunification should be completely exhausted, the state shall employ non-peaceful means and other necessary measures to protect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. [emphasis mine]

So yeah, that's pretty much pissed everyone off. But that's article 8. Article 9 says

In the event of employing and executing non-peaceful means and other necessary measures as provided for in this Law, the state shall exert its utmost to protect the lives, property and other legitimate rights and interests of Taiwan civilians and foreign nationals in Taiwan, and to minimize losses. At the same time, the state shall protect the rights and interests of the Taiwan compatriots in other parts of China in accordance with law. [emphasis mine]

Note that the Communist Party of China is now recognizing the "legitimate rights" to property, even on Taiwan. Nothing worse than Communists who wuss out on the big stuff. Aside from that, articles 1-7 basically are all pretty benign. Article 5 specifically says "The state shall do its utmost with maximum sincerity to achieve a peaceful reunification." Obviously, none of this really consoles the Taiwanese. But my point is that this law isn't a declaration of war. Rather, given the context, it's basically Chretien's "Clarity Bill" on steroids. Obviously, how seriously you take articles 1-7 depends one your opinion of the Communist Party. But the bill specifically says that Taiwan has to provoke the "non-peaceful means", so I don't think this is as bad as some (mainly American) commentators are saying. The remaining question is how seriously the Chinese take the law.