The Anti-Secession Law is a law of the People's Republic of China (PRC), passed by the third conference of the 10th National People's Congress. It was ratified on March 14, 2005, and went into effect immediately. PresidentHu Jintao promulgated the law with Presidential Decree No. 34. Although the law, at ten articles, is relatively short, it was met with much controversy because it formalized the long-standing policy of the PRC to use "non-peaceful means" against the "Taiwan independence movement" in the event of a declaration of independence.