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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, February 12, 2004

Powell: US sees no need for Taiwan referendum

US Secretary of State Colin Powell stressed Wednesday that Washington does not see the need for Taiwan to hold any "referendum" and opposes action that would change the status quo in the region.


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US Secretary of State Colin Powell stressed Wednesday that Washington does not see the need for Taiwan to hold any "referendum" and opposes action that would change the status quo in the region.

"We don't really see a need for these referenda," Powell told a hearing at the International Relations Committee of the US House of Representatives. "We made it clear to them ... that we do not want to see these actions lead in any way to a change in the situation," Powell said.

Powell said: "We still are fully supportive, and totally committed to our one-China policy based on the three communiqu��s and the Taiwan Relations Act.... And we don't believe any action should be taken in the region that would unilaterally change the situation."

Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of China. China's fundamental policy on the Taiwan issue is "peaceful reunification " and "one country, two systems." The attempts of the Taiwan authorities to use democracy as an excuse to hold a referendum to split China have been widely condemned by the international community.

China appreciates Powell's comments on Taiwan
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman on Thursday expressed China's appreciation for US Secretary of State Colin Powell's comments that the United States saw no need for Taiwan's "referendum" in the near future.

Zhang Qiyue said at a regular press conference that China has recently seen the United States make such comments repeatedly, and China appreciates them.

Addressing a hearing at the International Relations Committee of the US House of Representatives, Powell said on Wednesday that Washington does not see the need for Taiwan to hold any "referendum."

"We don't really see a need for these referenda," Powell said. "We made it clear to them ... that we do not want to see these actions lead in any way to a change in the situation."

Zhang said that during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's US trip last year, President George W. Bush made an explicit statement to him that the United States would adhere to the one-China policy, abide by the three Sino-US joint communiqu��s, oppose Taiwan Independence, and oppose any unilateral moves that seek to alter the status-quo of Taiwan.

China has also stressed time and again that the Taiwan issue is most important and most sensitive among the Sino-US relations, said the spokeswoman, and China hopes the US side will abide by the three joint communiqu��s and deal with the problem properly.

By People's Daily Online


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