Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said he would consider a proposal to introduce legislation for the eventual reunification of Taiwan, state media reported Tuesday.
Wen reacted favourably when, at a meeting with ethnic Chinese during his visit to Britain, it was suggested that China draft a law as soon as possible mandating Taiwan reunification, the China News Service (CNS) reported.
"Your suggestions about the reunification of our motherland is very important, very important. We will consider it seriously," he was quoted as saying.
Taiwan has been ruled separately from China since the end of the civil war in 1949, and Beijing has declared it would invade the island if it declared independence or descended into chaos.
CNS said Wen was told during the meeting that legislation would "put fear into independence activists".
"It will be a way to consider how to resolve the Taiwan issue," 76-year-old Shan Sheng told the premier.
The comments came as Taiwan begins recounting millions of ballots from disputed presidential elections in March that President Chen Shui-bian won by a razor-thin victory.
All 16.5 million ballots issued for the March 20 polls will be recounted under High Court supervision and amid tight security, court officials said Monday. Some 13.5 million of the ballots were cast, 330,000 of which were declared invalid.
Opposition party Kuomintang (KMT) chairman Lien Chan was defeated by the independence-leaning Chen in the poll by fewer than 30,000 votes, or 0.2 percent.
China fears that if Chen is confirmed as leader for another four year term he may make irreversible moves towards a formal split with the mainland.
Wen was wrapping up a three-day visit to Britain on Tuesday with a private visit to Queen Elizabeth II, before he travels to Ireland's capital Dublin on the last leg of his 11-day European tour.