China expressed strong indignation at the recent convening of
the US-Taiwan Defense Conference in the United States, said Foreign
Ministry spokesman Kong Quan in Beijing on Saturday.
The defense conference, an annual event, was held recently in
the US state of Arizona. During the meeting, US Deputy
Undersecretary of Defense for Asian-Pacific Affairs Richard Lawless
reportedly urged Taiwan to approve a special budget for a US arms
deal.
"The United States persisted in holding such a conference with
Taiwan, regardless of China's firm opposition, and the US official
referred to so-called military threat from the Chinese mainland to
Taiwan and urged Taiwan to purchase weapons from the US," Kong
noted.
China has lodged a "solemn representation" with the US
concerning the matter, he said.
Kong said that the holding of such a conference and the language
Lawless used seriously violated the commitment reiterated many
times by the US government to adhere to the one-China policy and
the three Sino-US Joint Communiqués and to oppose Taiwan
independence.
Such actions are detrimental to peace and stability across the
Taiwan Strait, Kong stated.
Kong said China strongly urges the US to recognize the
harmfulness of its "wrong practice," to eliminate the negative
effects of this practice, to end military ties with and stop
weapons sales to Taiwan and not to send wrong signals to the Taiwan
independence forces, so as to avoid harming Sino-US relations.
China has also lodged "solemn representations" to the US for
allowing the Formosan Association of Public Affairs to host a
seminar on Capitol Hill on Taiwan's "constitutional reform" over
China's firm objections.
During the seminar, the US "allowed Lee Teng-hui, a chief Taiwan
independence separatist, to spread separatist remarks," Kong
said.
The action also violated the longstanding commitments of the US
to China.
"This behavior also sent dangerous signals to the Taiwan
independence forces. China firmly opposes such behavior and has
lodged serious representations with the US," stated Kong.
He pointed out that separatist activities are the biggest threat
to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
(Xinhua News Agency October 10, 2004)