The Chinese and U.S. sides made in-depth and candid exchanges of views on security, ballistic-missile defense and Taiwan arms-sale issues during their February 17-18 consultations, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao.

Zhu made the remarks at Tuesday's press conference when briefing on the Sino-U.S. strategic and security consultations in Beijing last week.

The Chinese side set forth its views and stances on global security situations and the new security views, among which ballistic-missile defense systems was one of the central topics.

Zhu quoted the U.S. side as replying that its development of national and theater missile-defense systems (NMD and TMD) is entirely a counter-measure against "rogue states", and for the security of the U.S.. The U.S. side also briefed the Chinese side on their basic plans.

The Chinese side pointed out, according to Zhu, that such an excuse stands on no ground. The development plan of NMD and TMD is detrimental to both global strategic balance and stability, and regional peace and security. It harms the interests of other countries as well as of the U.S. itself.

The Chinese side urged the U.S. side to consider the political and strategic prices it would have to pay for NMD, and to carry out no test nor deployment for the plan, Zhu said.

The Chinese side stressed that the Taiwan issue is the most important and most sensitive issue at the center of Sino-U.S. relations, and wished the U.S. side would abide by the three joint communiques by the two sides, as well as honor its commitments, saying that handling the Taiwan issue appropriately is crucial to the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations, according to Zhu.

The U.S. side expressed the Clinton administration's commitment to developing relations between the two countries, saying that President Clinton is determined to push the relations further ahead in the direction of constructive strategic partnership during the rest of his term, Zhu said.

The U.S. side said that President Clinton is firmly devoted to winning Congressional support for granting China the permanent normal trade relations (NTR) status. Meanwhile, the U.S. side acknowledges the importance and sensitiveness of the Taiwan issue, and will abide by the one-China principle, the three joint communiques, and relevant commitments.

They also pledged that the United States government is opposed to the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act, and will block it from coming into effect, Zhu told reporters.