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US urged to abide by one-China principle

(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-10-13 07:54

Following reaction by the US State Department to a speech by Taiwan's leader, China called on the United States to honour its commitment to the one-China policy.

The foreign ministry again urged the United States yesterday to abide by the two countries' three joint communiques.

"The United States should observe the one-China policy which has been reiterated by the US leaders," said foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue, noting that the US side should honour its commitment to not support "Taiwan independence," stop arms sales to the island and cut official contacts and military ties with Taiwan to avoid sending the "wrong signal" to the Taiwan authorities.

"Only by doing so can peace and stability across the Straits and the smooth development of Sino-US relations be maintained," Zhang said.

Zhang made the remarks when asked to comment on official reaction by the United States to Taiwan leader Chen Shuibian's "national day" speeches.

The 1972 communique, signed in Shanghai during former President Richard Nixon's landmark trip to China, committed the US to the one-China principle and set the stage for the withdrawal of US forces from Taiwan.

The second communique signed in 1978, anticipated the US switch of diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing January 1, 1979 and reiterated the one-China policy, but set the stage for Washington and Taiwan to maintain "unofficial" ties.

The third communique in 1982 reaffirmed the two earlier ones and pledged Washington to gradually reduce arms sales to Taiwan if Beijing acted to "create conditions conducive" to that aim.

State Department spokeswoman Darla Jordan said on Sunday that the US welcomed the "constructive" message conveyed in Chen's speech, claiming that it offered some "creative ideas" for reducing tension and resuming the cross-Straits dialogue.

DPRK senior leader to visit

Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), will pay an official visit to China as head of a DPRK delegation from October 18 to 20, Zhang said yesterday.