China firmly opposes US arms sales to Taiwan, and has demanded
that the United States should clarify the report by Taiwan media on
US arms sales to the island, Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan
told a regular news briefing in Beijing Thursday.
Taiwan media reported that the United States inclined to sell
submarines, Patriot-III anti-missile system and anti-submarine
planes to Taiwan, and the island is ready to propose a budgetary
program for the sales.
The US arms sales to Taiwan violate the three Sino-US joint
communiqués, particularly the August 17 Joint Communiqué, Kong
said.
The move "interferes with China's internal affairs and may lead
to further tension in situation across the Taiwan Straits," the
spokesman said, adding that China has been opposing arms sales to
Taiwan.
"We urged the US side to honor its commitments, stop arms sales
to Taiwan and stop any words or deeds in violation of the
principles in the three joint communiqués to avoid sabotaging the
peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and the development
of Sino-US relations," Kong said.
Kong said China always holds a "very prudent" attitude on
conventional weapons sales to other countries.
Kong said that the number of conventional weapons sold by China
to other countries is very limited.
The fundamental principle of China's conventional weapons sales
is that it should be conducive to the national defense of the
purchasing countries, conducive to their national stability, and
especially conducive to regional stability, he said.
During US Vice President Dick Cheney's visit to China, the
spokesman said Chinese leaders including Chinese President Hu
Jintao, Chairman of the Central Military Commission Jiang Zemin and
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao had all stated China's firm stance on
the issue and urged the US side to stop arms sales to Taiwan and
sending incorrect signals to the forces for "Taiwan
Independence."
Kong quoted Cheney as saying that the US side had realized the
importance of the Taiwan issue to the Sino-US relations and the
United States would adhere to the one-China policy based on the
three joint communiqués between China and the United States.
Cheney also said the United States would not support Taiwan's
"independence" or any unilateral actions to change the status quo
of the two sides of the Taiwan Straits, Kong added.
Cheney's visit was important and positive, Kong said, adding
that "China and the United States have maintained exchanges of
high-level visits, which is helpful for the two sides to exchange
views on key issues, especially on further improvement of bilateral
relations."
"In general, the relations between China and the United States
kept good momentum, with reciprocal cooperation in political,
economic and other areas," the spokesman said.
Through Cheney's visit, the two sides agreed that cooperation
was in the interests of the two peoples and in the future the two
countries would be devoted to developing constructive and
cooperative relations, Kong said.
"The significance of Cheney's visit also lies in the Taiwan
issue," Kong added, expressing the hope that the United States
should observe its promise of sticking to the one-China policy and
the three joint communiqués between China and the United
States.
During the visit, the two sides also agreed to expand exchanges,
increase consensus and smooth differences, Kong continued.
After China again foiled an anti-China attempt brewed by the
United States, Kong said the United States isolated itself and
gained an outcome of failure for tabling an anti-China draft
resolution at UN human rights session.?
"We demand the US side to face the reality, draw lesson from its
failure, abandon confrontation and resolves the difference between
China and the United States on human rights by dialogues and
exchanges for the development of bilateral relations," he said.
Kong made the announcement after an earlier voting in the
session in Geneva.
A "no-action" motion China tabled was passed by voting at the
60th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
With 28 votes for, 16 against and 9 abstentions, the 53-member
commission approved the Chinese motion, thus rejecting the US draft
resolution against China before it was put to the vote.
This is China's 11th victory over the US-led anti-China bid
since 1990.
The Chinese government expressed admiration and gratitude for
all countries who uphold justice and show their support to China,
Kong said.
The US draft resolution "has no factual ground," the spokesman
said. The Chinese government adheres to people-centered principle
and is committed to do all it can in the interest of the Chinese
people, he said, adding that the Chinese people enjoyed higher
degree of rights and interests.?
"The Chinese people have their own heartfelt feeling on it and
the international community also has fair judgment on it," Kong
said.
According to the spokesman, the Chinese government has carried
out dialogues and cooperation with a number of countries, including
the United States, in either bilateral or multilateral
framework.
"Proceeding from its own domestic political needs, the United
States, however, again sought the path of confrontation," he said.
"What it earned is an isolation and what it gained is a
failure."
Of the 53 members now seating on the UN Commission on Human
Rights, those who voted for China's no-action motion include
Bahrain, Bhutan, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea,
Ethiopia, Gabon, India, Indonesia, Mauritania, Nepal, Nigeria,
Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, South Africa,
Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Togo, Ukraine, Zimbabwe and
China.?
Those who voted against the motion are Australia, Austria, Costa
Rica, Croatia, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary,
Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Britain and the United
States.
And those voted with abstentions are from Argentina, Armenia,
Chile, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, the Republic of
Korea and Uganda.
In another development, the spokesman said 15 out of 17 Chinese
crew members had been rescued after a ship sank off the Indian
Sea.
Staff with the Chinese Embassy in India and Indian Coast Guard
vessels had continued their search-and-rescue mission in hopes of
finding the missing two seamen, according to Kong.
The crewmen were aboard a Malaysian cargo ship that sank in
rough seas in the Bay of Bengal Tuesday afternoon. The ship, named
MV Genius Star-VI, sank in the high seas off the West Bengal coast
about 190 km southeast of Haldia town, according to a report.
The rescued sailors, said to be in good health, were brought to
Haldia and received medical treatment.
"Chinese Foreign Ministry has instructed the Chinese Embassy in
India to send officials to the site to lend a hand in the rescue
work," said Kong.?
The Chinese government and family members of rescued sailors had
expressed gratitude to the active efforts made by the Indian
government and relevant authorities for the rescue work, said
Kong.
The Malaysian ship was carrying a consignment of logs from
Malaysia to Kolkata.
Also at yesterday's briefing, the spokesman said "China has
lodged solemn representations to Canada on Dalai Lama's visit to
Canada."?
China has reiterated its attitude to the Dalai Lama, Kong said,
adding that the Dalai Lama is not a religious figure but a
political activist engaging in splitting China.
In the context of the all-round development of Sino-Canadian
relations, Canada should not provide a platform for the Dalai Lama,
Kong said, expressing the hope that Canada should correct its
mistake and cancel the meeting between Canadian officials and
him.
Turning to the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), Kong said China holds
that the BFA has achieved substantial progress in enhancing
dialogues and exchanges between Asian countries and the rest of the
world since it was founded in 2001.
Kong said the annual meeting of the BFA, slated for April 24-25
in China's southernmost Hainan Province, will draw high-level
representatives from home and overseas. Chinese President Hu Jintao
will attend the meeting and make a keynote speech, he said.
The basic purpose of the BFA is to deepen the economic
exchanges, coordination and cooperation between Asian countries, as
well as strengthen dialogues and communications between Asian
countries and the rest of the world, Kong said, adding that the BFA
provides a high-level dialogue platform for governments,
enterprises, experts and scholars to discuss issues in the fields
of economy, trade and social development.
Kong said the theme for this year's BFA is "A Win-Win Asia: Asia
That Opens up to the World."
"We can see from the theme that Asian countries expect to
further enhance exchanges and cooperation in various fields with
the world, so as to realize common development and prosperity," he
said.
In response to a reporter's question on whether the Vatican
wants to establish diplomatic relations with China, Kong said the
Vatican should first break off its relations with Taiwan, and does
not interfere in China's internal affairs under the pretext of
religion, if it wants to establish relations with China.
Kong said China holds a clear stance on the Vatican issue, and
it is up to the Vatican to take action, he said.
The Vatican should meet the above two demands if it has the
sincerity to establish relations with China.
Moving on to the six party talks on the Korean nuclear issue,
the spokesman said that China's stance on this issue is
consistent.?
China has maintained its wish to build a nuclear-free Korean
Peninsula through dialogue and political means aiming to safeguard
the security of the peninsula, he said.?
To this end, China has made efforts to promote three-party and
six-party talks for the nuclear issue, he said.
Kong said the international community also hopes to solve the
issue through dialogue and negotiations, which is vitally important
to the peace and stability of Asia and the world.
Kong expressed his hope that the parties concerned show
flexibility to solve the issue and enable the third round of
six-party talks to be held before the end of this June.
(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2004)