China expressed unhappiness with the results of last week's visit by
US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice to Beijing, demanding the US stop selling advanced arms to Taiwan, and telling Washington that "it's time to honor its commitments" to a "one China" policy.
The press spokesman of the Chinese embassy in Washington, Sun Weide (
In the press conference, which was open to both the Taiwanese and international press corps, Sun insisted that any resumption of cross-strait dialogue should be based on Beijing's "one China" principle, and warned that any increase in tensions over Taiwan between China and the US could set back bilateral relations.
He also indicated that China would not look favorably on any efforts by Washington to play a greater role in bringing Beijing and Taipei together for resumed cross-strait dialogue.
"Taiwan is part of China," he said, "so the Chinese can solve their problems by themselves," Sun said.
During her talks with former Chinese president Jiang Zemin (
Sun clearly rejected that idea.
"The `one China' principle is very important," he said. "If Taiwan accepts the `one China' principle, there will be great prospects for cross-strait relations."
Sun indicated that while Rice's visit was aimed at advancing Beijing-Washington relations, in terms of the Taiwan issue, the trip did not accomplish that goal.
"We are gravely concerned over the recent US moves on the Taiwan questions," Sun said in an opening statement.
Repeating the so-called "three stops" that Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing (
"Only in this way can the stable development of the China-US relations as well as the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait be guaranteed," Sun said.
During the talks between Rice and Chinese leaders, the Chinese "emphasized the importance of the Taiwan issue in US-China relations," Sun said. "This cannot be overemphasized."
Sun stressed that the issue of Taiwan dominated the discussion.
"During the talks, we said again and again that the Taiwan issue bears on China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and it is always the most important and sensitive issue in China-US relations," Sun said.
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