China sees the Taiwan question as a particularly sensitive issue
that must be treated carefully, Premier Wen Jiabao told visiting US
Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte yesterday.
"The two sides should through mechanisms like the China-US
Strategic Dialogue handle certain sensitive issues properly, with
the Taiwan question in particular, to ensure long-term, healthy and
stable development of China-US constructive and cooperative
relations," Wen said at a meeting with Negroponte, who arrived
ahead of the fifth round of Strategic Dialogue, a platform designed
to communicate on strategic issues.
Negroponte said the US position is clear as it has repeatedly
expressed opposition to the Taiwan authorities' plan of a
referendum on membership of the United Nations.
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi had another meeting with Negroponte
later yesterday. Yang said that under current circumstances, more
resolute opposition to Taiwan authorities' separatist activities is
extremely important to the peace and stability across the Taiwan
Straits as well as to the relationship between China and the United
States.
Negroponte is scheduled to leave Beijing today for the
southwestern city of Guiyang, where he will co-chair the
semi-annual China-US Strategic Dialogue with Chinese Deputy Foreign
Minister Dai Bingguo.
Tensions over Taiwan authorities' planned referendum are
definitely a key in Negroponte's talks with Chinese officials,
analysts said.
Beijing has seen a relay of visits in recent weeks by senior US
officials with clout on Taiwan-related affairs, including Secretary
of Defense Robert Gates and chief of US Pacific Command Timothy
Keating. Such intensive visits are "by no means fortuitous", said
Gong Li, deputy director of the Institute of International and
Strategic Studies under the Party School of the Central Committee
of CPC.
"Both China and the United States have recognized the year 2008
is a highly dangerous period for the situation across the Taiwan
Straits. Chinese leaders' position on Taiwan is firm, whereas
Washington can also feel the stress as the presidential election on
the island approaches," Gong told China Daily.
Although the recent victory of the opposition Kuomingtang party
in Taiwan's "legislative election" could help reduce the likelihood
of a showdown across the Straits, the possibility that Chen
Shui-bian keeps making trouble and escalating tensions cannot be
ruled out, he said.
"Through the dialogue, the US side may hope to see the cards in
China's hand and figure out how China will respond if certain
circumstances occur," said Gong.
Aside from Taiwan, the Iran nuclear issue is widely tipped as
another main topic of the dialogue, as the five permanent members
of UN Security Council and Germany will meet in Berlin next week
over possible new sanctions against Iran.
"The Iran nuclear issue is a very likely topic in the strategic
dialogue, as the Bush administration, under great pressure after a
CIA report found no proof of Iran developing nuclear weapons, would
seek China's cooperation in the upcoming meeting in Berlin," Hua
Liming, former Chinese ambassador to Iran, told China Daily.
But he said the result of the Berlin meeting was "hard to
predict" as China would not favor the use of force despite its
convergence with Washington on prevention of nuclear
proliferation.
"Judging from the consistent position of the Chinese government,
it is hard to imagine China will fully satisfy demands from the
United States," Hua said.
(China Daily January 17, 2008)
