The US plan to participate in Taiwan's military exercises would
damage the country's relations with China, according to the Chinese
Foreign Ministry.
"We have read relevant reports from the media and I want to point
out here that any kind of military cooperation or exchanges between
Taiwan and the US is a violation of the three Sino-US joint
communiques and also damages China-US
relations,'' ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said.
China Times, a local newspaper in Taiwan, reported last week
that the US military will participate in Taiwan's annual military
drills later this year for the first time in 20 years.
The newspaper quoted an unidentified Taiwanese military source as
saying that officers from the US Pacific Command will be in the
Taiwanese military command centre in Taipei during the drills,
called "HanKuang-19'' military exercises.
"The Chinese side has already made solemn representations to the US
side urging it to abide by its commitments made to the Chinese side
on the question of Taiwan and stop any military exchange with
Taiwan,'' Zhang said.
When asked to comment on the report that two US aviation giants --
Boeing and Hughes -- provided China with sensitive technology on
inter-continental ballistic missiles, Zhang said that it was
unnecessary and impossible for the Chinese side to gain satellite
rocket and missile technology from US companies.
"We think accusations that US companies inappropriately transferred
technology to China by their use of Chinese carrier rockets are not
consistent with reality and are ridiculous,'' Zhang said.
The US State Department recently laid 123 charges against Boeing
Satellite Systems and Hughes Electronics Corp for allegedly passing
sensitive technology to China in the 1990s, violating export
controls and restrictions.
The companies have denied any wrongdoing in the case.
Turning to the Iraq issue, Zhang said that China insisted on a
diplomatic and political solution to the issue within the framework
of the United Nations (UN).
Zhang indicated that currently inspectors from two relevant
organizations of the UN were continuing their work in Iraq, noting
that the inspection was being carried out in line with UN Security
Council requirements and Iraq had given its full cooperation.
"And then the Security Council should draw its conclusions based on
the inspectors' report,'' Zhang said.
(China Daily January 8, 2002)