China's National People's Congress (NPC) Foreign Affairs Committee
has strongly condemned US congressional acts which it says show
strengthening US-Taiwan military cooperation.
In
a statement released in Beijing on Monday, it said the US House of
Representatives recently adopted the Fiscal Year 2003 Defense
Authorization Act, which contains items strengthening US-Taiwan
military cooperation. The act flagrantly demands that the US
military "shall implement a comprehensive plan to conduct joint
operational training for, and exchanges of senior officers between,
the Armed Forces of the United States and the military forces of
Taiwan."
Meanwhile, the US Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2003 State
Department Authorization Act, which details increasing arms sales
to Taiwan, asking the US President to sell four Kidd-class
destroyers to Taiwan.
The statement said that these Taiwan-related Acts passed
successively by the US House and Senate seriously violated China's
sovereignty and constituted wanton interference in China's internal
affairs. "We resolutely oppose and strongly condemn the
matter."
The Act adopted by the US House claimed that the purposes of their
demand to implement the plan to strengthen US-Taiwan military
cooperation are to improve the so-called "defensive abilities" of
Taiwan and to enhance "interoperability" between the military
forces of Taiwan and the United States, the statement added.
It
said this is virtually an intention to establish a paramilitary
alliance between the United States and Taiwan, leading US-Taiwan
relations towards military alliance.
In
2000, the US House of Representatives adopted the Taiwan Security
Enhancement Act, which was later shelved in the Senate in face of
strong opposition and condemnation from China, the statement
said.
Now, it added, a small number of US legislators would not leave the
matter to rest. Turning a blind eye to earnest representations from
China, they again raised again the specter of interfering in
China's internal affairs. Being grave of the nature, if the Act
became law, the consequences would be dangerous.
The statement said that it is indisputable that the provisions
relating to Taiwan in the Act the US House of Representatives has
passed, are aimed at bolstering the "Taiwan independence" forces
and encouraging their arrogance in "denying peace by use of force"
and "denying reunification by use of force" thus obstructing the
cause of China's peaceful reunification.
The statement said that it is seriously detrimental to Sino-US
relations as well. The Chinese people are extremely indignant about
it and it is impossible for them to accept.
It
said that the Taiwan question has always been the most important
and sensitive core question in Sino-US relations. Both the US
Democratic and Republican governments have committed themselves to
adherence to the one-China policy and principles of the three
China-US joint communiquis. This forms the cornerstone for normal
Sino-US relations.
But for a long time now certain people in the United States have
resorted to every possible trick to interrupt and undermine the
development of Sino-US relations via the Taiwan question. They
repeatedly put forward resolutions which went against the three
joint communiquis, particularly the China-US August 17th Joint
Communiqui, the statement said.
It
said that striking examples are the Acts concocted by the US Senate
and House of Representatives and other related actions taken by the
US on the Taiwan question.
The statement also noted that having survived difficulties and
hardships, the present Sino-US relationship need to be mutually
cherished and maintained by both sides, because it conforms to the
basic interests of both countries.
Strengthening military cooperation between the United States and
Taiwan and increasing weapon sales to Taiwan will certainly raise
tensions in the Taiwan Straits and endanger the peace and stability
of the Asia-Pacific region, the statement said.
It
will not only undermine the interests of China, but also harm the
interests of the United States and shake the basis of Sino-US
relations, the statement said.
Moreover, it said, history has repeatedly proved that whenever the
US scrupulously observes the principles of the three Sino-US joint
communiquis on the Taiwan issue, Sino-US relations develop
smoothly. Otherwise Sino-US relations will take an unexpected turn
and even fall back.
"We hope that US legislators pay serious regard to the importance
of Sino-US relations, handle the Taiwan issue properly, and act
more to promote Sino-US relations than to hinder them," the
statement said.
"We hope the US government will strictly abide by the principles of
the three Sino-US joint communiquis and its related commitments and
take effective measures to prevent the above acts from becoming
law, so that the stable and healthy Sino-US relations can be
continuously advanced," the statement said.
(Xinhua News
Agency May 13, 2002)