The Chinese government strongly opposes the signing of the motion adopted by the US Congress in support of Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization (WHO), said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue Saturday.

She urged the United States to stop pushing the motion.

US President George W. Bush recently signed a motion adopted by the US Congress in support of Taiwan's participation in the WTO, but at the same time alleged that the United States had not changed its one-China policy.

Zhang said the Chinese government had repeatedly lodged solemn representations to the United States concerning the motion, and China was strongly opposed to the signing of the motion, she added.

Taiwan was part of China, Zhang said, and Taiwan was not eligible to join the WHO as a member or a quasi-member, or participate in any WHO activity as an observer, according to the relevant resolutions of the United Nations and the regulations of the WHO.

At the 56th World Health Assembly (WHA) that concluded recently, Taiwan failed in its seventh attempt to participate in the WHO, Zhang said, which demonstrated the common understanding and clear attitude of the international community on this issue.

Zhang said that Taiwan had easy access to health information.

The central government of China had been always concerned about the health of Taiwan compatriots and actively promoted exchanges and cooperation in the health sector across the Taiwan Straits, she added.

In regard to preventing and treating severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Taiwan authorities had turned down donations from the Chinese mainland, regardless of the health and safety of Taiwan's people.

The true purpose of the Taiwan authorities in participating in the WHO was to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan", but their attempt was doomed to failure, Zhang noted.

She urged the US government to comply with the will of the international community, to clearly recognize the political motives of the Taiwan authorities, to abide by the one-China policy and the principles of three joint communiques, to stop all actions in support of Taiwan's participation in the WHO, and not to set out obstacles to the development of Sino-US relations.

(Xinhua News Agency May 31, 2003)