China Tuesday lashed out at the US administration's second presidential report on the Tibet issue, saying it helped separatist activists of Dalai Lama and violated the principles of international relations and the three Sino-US communiques.
So said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue at a news conference Tuesday. It was the second time Chinese officials criticized the report within two days.
"We urge the United States to stop making use of the Tibet issue to interfere in China's internal affairs,'' Zhang said. "Instead, we demand the US side honor its commitments by visible actions.''
The US government submitted to Congress the first report on the Tibet issue last May, reports said.
Tibet is part of China and the Tibet issue is an internal affair of China, she said.
The dialogue channel between the Chinese government and Dalai Lama remains open and Chinese government's policy towards the Dalai Lama is explicit, the spokeswoman said.
"The prerequisite principles lie in that Dalai Lama should give up his pursuit for Tibet independence, stop separatist activities and declare in public to recognize that Tibet is an inseparable territory of China,'' Zhang stressed.
Instead of being an ordinary religious figure, the Dalai Lama is a political refugee who has been involved in long-term separatist activities and activities that threatened national unity, she noted.
For this, China opposes any meetings between the Dalai Lama and foreign leaders, she added.
When asked to comment on Rice's China trip, Zhang said that the Chinese leaders and US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice had an in-depth exchange of views on Sino-US ties as well as regional and international issues during her stay in China.
Zhang said that China time and again reiterated that it and the United States are both influential nations in the world, and frequent high-level exchanges and dialogues are of great significance to promoting bilateral ties and maintaining stability in Asia and the world at large.
During Rice's visit, Zhang said, Chinese leaders have made China's stance very explicitly to Rice. China attaches great importance to Sino-US relations and believes the consensus and shared interests of the two sides have been continually increasing. The importance of Sino-US relations has not decreased but has strengthened as the international situation keeps changing, she acknowledged.
The Chinese side hoped that the two sides would continue dialogues to enlarge consensus and reduce disparities in compliance with the principles of mutual respect, equal treatment and seeking a common ground while reserving differences, Zhang said.
China once again underlined the important status of the Taiwan issue in Sino-US relations to Rice. The Taiwan issue concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to handle Taiwan issue properly is a crucial issue related to the sound and smooth development of Sino-US ties, she said, adding that China hoped that the US side will adhere the "one China" policy, and abide by the three US-China joint communiques and the commitment to opposing Taiwan independence.
The Chinese side is convinced that Sino-US relations can have a sound and smooth development provided the US side follows its promise with concrete actions, Zhang said.
Rice paid a short visit to China from July 8 to 9, at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing. China was the second leg of Rice's Asian tour, between Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK).
Rice also accompanied US President George W. Bush on a working visit to China in February, 2002.
Answering an inquiry on Singapore's incoming leader Lee Hsien Loong just-concluded visit to Taiwan, the spokeswoman said the China-Singapore relations would unavoidably suffer gravely from the event.
As a result, Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of the China central bank, has cancelled a trip to Singapore, where he had been scheduled to give a lecture, reports said.
"The Taiwan issue relates to the core interests of China,'' Zhang said. "China holds a persistent, formative and clear-cut position on this issue.''
Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Lee's visit to Taiwan has severely violated Singapore's commitment to the one-China policy and damaged the political base between China and Singapore, she said.
"Such a move will produce serious effects towards the bilateral relations and cooperation, and the Singapore side should be responsible for all the damage,'' Zhang said.
In response to a follow-up question over whether China plans to recall its ambassador from Singapore, Zhang said the Chinese side is considering relevant measures according to developments in the situation.
Reports said Lee flew to Taipei on Saturday and left Tuesday for what officials described as a private visit, during which he met with Taiwan officials, including Chen Shui-bian.
In response, Singapore had reiterated on Monday that it adheres to the "one-China" policy, and does not support Taiwan's independence, according to local press reports.
Singapore officials have stressed that Lee's visit is "a private and unofficial visit" and does not in any way change the above-mentioned policy, nor does it represent any challenge to China's sovereignty or territorial integrity, reports said.
Commenting the reports that the High Court of Japan's Hiroshima Prefecture awarded damages last Friday to several Chinese who were forced to work in harsh conditions at a construction site during World War II, Zhang said China hopes the Japanese government will seriously carry out the ruling made by a Japanese court on the compensation for Chinese laborers, and properly handle issues left over by history.
The abduction of Chinese laborers was a severe crime committed by Japanese militarists in the 1930s and 1940s, she said.
Also during Tuesday's press conference, Zhang made the announcement that President of the Republic of Namibia Sam Nujoma will pay a working visit to China from July 19 to 26 at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao.
(Sources including China Daily and Xinhua News Agency, July 14, 2004)
