The Anti-Secession Law will promote cross-Straits exchanges and act as a deterrent against secessionists, congress deputies and researchers said Monday.

They hailed the newly adopted law, which was passed Monday at the end of the NPC annual session and won backing by countries and organizations including Russia, Pakistan, Belarus, Syria, the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU).

"Nobody is willing to see blood brothers across the Straits go to the battlefield some day," said deputy Hu Shixiang from the People's Liberation Army delegation.

"That's why we enacted it - to serve as a deterrent to prevent a small group of secessionist forces from taking bilateral ties to a crisis," he said.

At home, Yeh Hui-te, president of the Shanghai Taiwan Investors Association, said: "I understand and support this law, which is mainly intended to safeguard peaceful national reunification."

He added: "And I think the majority of the Taiwan business people here in Shanghai share my opinion."

"For Taiwanese investors on the mainland, Taiwan's secession from China means losing a huge market with some one quarter of the global population. This is the last thing we want to see," added Yeh, who has lived in Shanghai for more than a decade.

Lei Pang-chu, an NPC deputy from Macao, said no one is more desirous of achieving a peaceful reunification between the mainland and Taiwan than the Chinese people. "The law just acts as a legal document for us to make the greatest efforts to realize our goal," he said.

The 10-article law devotes a great deal of space to the promotion of a peaceful reunification between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland.

It stipulates China would use "non-peaceful means and other necessary measures" only as a last resort.

"This embodies the consistent stance of the Chinese Government to achieve a peaceful reunification with the utmost sincerity," said Li Jiaquan, a senior researcher with the Institute of Taiwan Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

He noted that it is of international convention for a country to oppose secessionist activities and safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity through legislation.

"Many countries in the world, including the United States, Canada, Russia and Britain, have enacted relevant, similar laws," he said.

"No sovereign state will tolerate any secessionist activities that sabotage national unity," he said.

Li stressed it is the "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces that pose a grave threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits as well as the Asia-Pacific region.

"Should the rampant secessionist activities not be effectively curbed, the interests and welfare of Taiwan compatriots would be ruined," he said.

The researcher condemned Taipei's attempt to distort the bill as "a war mobilization order" to attack the island.

"Those who have been engaging in secessionist activities are trying hard to tarnish the bill in a bid to fuel cross-Straits tension," he said.

Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian from the pro-"independence" Democratic Progressive Party, has called for at least 1 million people to take to the streets in Taipei for a rally on March 26.

The new law has won support from other countries that "respect China's efforts to promote a peaceful national reunification."

Pakistan Monday reiterated its one-China policy support, and expressed backing for the law.

Pakistani Foreign Office spokesman Jalil Abbas Jilani said Pakistan "appreciates and fully supports efforts made by the Chinese Government for the reunification of Taiwan to the motherland" and considers the passing of the law as part of these efforts.

The Foreign Ministry of Russia reiterated Moscow's opposition to "independence" for Taiwan, and said it considered the question an internal matter for China.

"We understand the motives behind the Chinese parliament's decision to pass this law," the ministry said in a statement issued shortly after the law was ratified.

"It is extremely important that the law documents the Chinese Government's main principle: the unconditional priority of using peaceful methods for the motherland's unification within the framework of 'one country, two systems' policy, China's readiness to do the utmost with maximum sincerity for peaceful reunification," the statement said.

Russia adheres to its basic position on the Taiwan question, believing that China is a single state entity with Taiwan being its inseparable part, said the statement.

Moscow opposes Taiwan's "independence" in whatever form and rejects the concept of "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan," the statement said.

The statement reaffirmed that Russia views the Taiwan issue as China's internal affair.

A mutually acceptable agreement on the Taiwan question reached by the parties concerned as early as possible would reflect China's core interests on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, and meet the goal of strengthening peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, the Russian Foreign Ministry statement added.

The Republic of Belarus also voiced support for China's Anti-Secession Law, saying the legislation is compatible with the interests of all Chinese people and conducive to regional and world peace and stability.

Belarus said in a statement it will scrupulously abide by the commitments made in bilateral political documents signed with China regarding the Taiwan question.

Syria on Monday voiced understanding for China's anti-secession law, saying Syria firmly supports China's efforts in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

During a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Syria Zhou Xiuhua, Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said Syria fully understands the law and supports China's peaceful reunification.

Syria opposes any form of Taiwan independence, Muallem said, stressing that Syria will consistently stand by China in fighting against attempts of Taiwan independence secessionists.

The European Union (EU) reiterated its "One China" policy Monday in Brussels and expressed its hope that the Taiwan issue can be solved through peaceful means.

In a statement issued after China's National People's Congress passed the Anti-Secession Law in the same day, Luxembourg acting as the EU's rotating presidency said that the EU adheres to its persistent "One China " policy.

It also hoped that the Taiwan issue can be solved peacefully. "The European Union urges all parties to avoid any unilateral action which might revive tensions ," it said.

The EU encouraged both sides of the Taiwan Strait to develop the initiatives that contribute to dialogue and mutual understanding in the spirit of the agreement on the direct air links established during the Chinese Spring Festival.

On the relationship across the Taiwan Strait, the EU said that the relationship should rest on a constructive dialogue and pursuit of concrete progress, holding that this is the only way to benefit both sides and to lead to an peaceful resolution of the Taiwan issue.

The African Union (AU) on Monday reiterated its One China policy and expressed support for China's anti-secession law to prevent Taiwan's secession from China.

"The anti-secession law adopted today by China's National People's Congress is of vital importance," said AU Commission Chairperson Alpha Oumar Konare when meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Lin Lin.

Konare said he would like to congratulate the Chinese government on the approval of the law.

"China's stance to oppose secession and achieve national reunification is very correct," he said, adding that the new law would play a very important part in China's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and even China's future development.

He said the AU adheres to its One China policy and regards Taiwan as part of China.

The adoption of anti-secession law "is not only a great success of China, but also a great success of Africa," he said.