China urges US to honor promise on Taiwan issue

China urges the United States to honor its words on the Taiwan issue, including those enshrined in the three Sino-US communiques, a Chinese official said Wednesday.

China appreciates that US presidents have reiterated time and again that the United States supports the one-China policy, He Yafei, director of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of the Foreign Ministry, said at a news briefing on US Vice President Dick Cheney's China tour next week.

"The Taiwan issue is the most vital and sensitive question amid Sino-US relationship because it concerns China's sovereignty, territory integrity and the feeling of the 1.3 billion Chinese people," He said.

"The one-China policy and the three Sino-US communiques are the foundation of Sino-US ties and I believe the US side clearly understands that," the director said.

The recent declaration of the United States showed that the US side kept its promise, but some words and activities such as the decision to sell weapons to Taiwan violated the US commitment, He said.

US President George W. Bush also said last December that the US opposed any unilateral statements or acts aimed to change the existing situation across the Taiwan Straits, the director said.

But the US Defense Department decided to sell radar to Taiwan, which was against the US promise and sent "wrong signals" to "Taiwan independence" forces, He said, adding that China lodged solemn representation to the US side.

"To maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits is in the common interests of China and the United States," the director noted.

The election in Taiwan was a local election in China, He said. No matter what the result is, the fact that Taiwan is part of China will never change, He said.

Differences in human rights should be resolved through dialogue

Differences in human rights should be resolved through dialogue and consultation, and China opposes confrontation on the issue.

He said at a news briefing that human rights are the concern of both sides, and they should make good use their dialogue mechanism to resolve the differences rather than reprimand each other on the issue.

China has recently adopted an amendment to its Constitution, providing that 'The State shall respect and protect human rights'. It demonstrates that the Chinese government attaches importance to the issue.

The United States also has its own problems in human rights, he said.

As to whether the leaders of the two countries will discuss human rights issue during Cheney's visit, He said China hopes they will exchange views in a calm atmosphere.

Cheney will pay a working visit to China from April 13 to 15 at the invitation of Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong.

Cooperation is theme of Sino-US relations

Cooperation accounts for the major part of Sino-US relations, and disputes between the two sides would be resolved so long as Chinese and US leaders adhere to the one-China policy and peoples' fundamental interests.

The one-China policy and three Sino-US communiques are the political basis of Sino-US relations, on which the bilateral cooperation has developed to cover various areas since the two countries forged diplomatic ties in the 1970s, He said.

China and the United States have found more in common along with the changes of the international situation and the development of bilateral relations, he said. The Sino-US ties have maintained progress despite fluctuations, which goes in line with the interests of the two peoples.

Cheney's visit itself showed that the United States, and China as well, attached great importance to the bilateral ties, He said. China hopes the bilateral ties would remain stable to contribute to regional and world peace.

In response to requests for comments on the US election, He said China would not interfere with the internal affairs of the United States. However, he stressed, Sino-US relations would continue to develop no matter how the US government changed, because history showed that both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party adhered to the one-China policy.

On the security situation in Iraq, He said China was concerned over the recent situation in Iraq and held that the Iraqi people should enjoy peace.

China has sent diplomats to Iraq to participate in the reconstruction and has had frequent consultations with the United States on the issue. Both sides are willing to further communicate in this field, he said.

China and the United States also cooperated in the anti-terrorism campaign, and China takes a firm stand in the fight against terrorism, he said.

China holds that terrorism is the common enemy of the people, and all countries should continue to make joint efforts in the campaign and should eradicate the roots of terrorism, he said.

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