TAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan's ruling party passed a resolution Sunday asserting the island's separate identity from rival China and calling for a referendum on Taiwan's sovereignty, the latest in a series of moves aimed at strengthening the island's de-facto independence.

The resolution -- passed after heated debate at a boisterous party congress -- calls for making the island's formal name "Taiwan," without specifically abolishing its current official name, the "Republic of China." It also calls for the enactment of a new constitution, but gives no specific deadline for either that or the referendum.

But the resolution stops short of calling Taiwan independent, a move China has said would be the equivalent of a declaration of war.

Taiwan and China split amid civil war nearly 60 years ago, but China still considers the democratic island a part of its territory and vehemently opposes any steps toward making its de facto independence official.

The United States does not recognize Taiwan as a country, but Washington is obligated by law to supply it with defensive weapons. Fearful of being drawn into a war with China, it often tries to discourage Taiwanese independence steps.

In Beijing, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao called on Taiwan to resist moving toward formal independence from the mainland in an annual National Day address traditionally used to appeal for unity between the rivals.

"We will continue to work with all the Taiwan compatriots to oppose and repulse separatist activities for 'Taiwan independence' and advance the great cause of China's peaceful reunification," Wen said.

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party's resolution passed by a vote of 250-73.

"We should rectify our name to Taiwan and enact a new constitution as soon as possible," the resolution says. "A public referendum should be held at an appropriate time to underscore Taiwan as a sovereign state."

Sunday's DPP congress comes ahead of next March's presidential election, in which DPP candidate Frank Hsieh will run against the popular Ma Ying-jeou of the opposition Nationalist Party, which favors eventual unification with mainland China.

The pro-independence DPP has routinely resorted to a strategy of provoking China to help it garner islanders' votes in past national elections.

Many Taiwanese fear a radical independence stance could provoke China to launch an attack against the island. But most people cherish the island's democracy and refuse to unite with communist China.

The resolution's adoption follows President Chen Shui-bian's unsuccessful campaign this year to seek rejoining the United Nations under the name of Taiwan for the first time. Taiwan had for the past decade tried unsuccessfully to rejoin the world body as the Republic of China, the name it used in the UN before being expelled in 1971.

Chen has also pushed to hold a referendum to back the government's UN bid to coincide with the presidential election, a move denounced both by China and the U.S.

In other moves to assert its separateness from China in recent months, Taiwanese officials have announced plans to revise school textbooks to drop references that recognize Chinese historical figures, places and artifacts as "national" and said they were considering abandoning Taiwan's long-standing policy of recognizing Mandarin Chinese as the island's only official language.

Chen also has substituted "Taiwan" for "China" at the post office and two large government-owned companies.