The Chinese Foreign Ministry Friday denounced a US report which
said the mainland was aiming more missiles at Taiwan, and accused
Washington of making excuses to sell weapons to the island's
government.
Some people in the United States have exaggerated the mainland's
military power and the so-called threat to Taiwan, said Foreign
Ministry spokesman Kong Quan.
"The goal is to find an excuse to sell advanced weapons to
Taiwan and mislead public opinion," he said. "The Chinese side
expresses its strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition."
The report released on Wednesday by the Pentagon said the
mainland was acquiring short-range missiles at a much faster rate
than previously thought. It said preparing for potential conflict
with Taiwan was the "primary driver" of mainland's military
modernization.
"There is nothing wrong with the build-up of defence and
military deployments by China, a sovereign state, to safeguard
national security and territorial integrity," said Kong, stressing
that China's national security policy is defensive.
Reaffirming the Chinese Government's policy of "peaceful
reunification" and "one country, two systems", Kong said the growth
of the independence movement in Taiwan is the greatest menace to
the stability across the Taiwan Straits.
He said China hoped the United States will honour its
commitments and adhere to the three Sino-US joint communiques and
the one-China policy, and oppose Taiwan's "independence".
Kong Friday also reasserted China's sovereignty over Diaoyu
Islands in the East China Sea.
He called on Japan to "properly handle" the issue by following
the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement and the one-China principle.
Taiwanese media reported recently that the island province and
Japan had reached a consensus to designate the area between the
27th and the 29th parallel north as a region where both can
fish.
However, the Japanese foreign ministry on Wednesday denied the
report.
For quite some time, Taiwan people who fish in the waters off
Diaoyu Islands have been driven out by Japanese maritime
police.
"The Chinese Government has all along attached importance to
safeguarding the interests of Taiwan compatriots, including the
interests of fishermen," said Kong.
Kong reaffirmed in June that China has indisputable sovereignty
over the Diaoyu Islands and its adjacent islands and that any
attempts to seize Chinese territory would not succeed.
Kong refuted reports that South Pacific nation Nauru had closed
its unofficial embassy in Beijing to establish diplomatic ties with
Taiwan; and said bilateral ties had developed well since the two
established diplomatic relations one year ago.
The government of Nauru has on many occasions noted it would
appoint an ambassador to China and officially open an embassy, said
Kong, vowing that China would help it build the embassy.
Further discussions are taking place on the second round of
Beijing Talks to resolve the Korean nuclear weapons issue, Kong
said Friday, when answering a question on whether the tripartite
talks between China, the United States and the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea (DPRK) will be held in Beijing in the first week
of September.
He was also asked to be specific on the progress made in
resolving the Korean nuclear question which was discussed by US
President George W. Bush in his phone conversation with Chinese
President Hu Jintao on Wednesday evening.
Thanks to the concerted efforts of China and other parties, all
sides concerned were positive about beginning a second round of
Beijing Talks, said Kong.
Further discussions on when and how to proceed with the talks
were underway, Kong said.
(Sources from China Daily and Xinhua News Agency August 2,
2003)