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Chinese Defense Minister Urges US to Observe Sino-US Joint Communiques
Chinese Defense Minister Chi Haotian urged Thursday the new government of the United States to commit to the three Sino-US Joint Communiques so as to effect a continuous and steady development of the Sino-US relations.
Because it conforms to the fundamental interest of the two peoples and benefits peace, stability and development of the Asian- Pacific region and the whole world, he added.
Chi, who is also vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and a state councilor, made the remarks when meeting with Dennis Blair, commander-in-chief of the pacific command of the United States Armed Forces.
Chi told Blair that China attaches importance to developing the state and military relations with the US, and hopes the relations continue to expand.
The defense minister also said that China concerns about the attitude of the US's government on arms sales to Taiwan and the issue of National Missile Defense system, hoping that the new government deal with the issues from a general situation, and act cautiously.
He pointed out that contacts and dialogues are the most positive and effective measures to improve mutual understanding, saying that both China and the U.S. are willing to strengthen contacts, citing the facts that Doctor Henry Kissinger is arriving in China today and Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen will soon visit US.
Blair said that Bush's government is reviewing its China policy, and believes the new policy and the previous one have much more in common than in difference.
He promised that the US will continue to develop military contact with China.
Li Zhaoxing, Chinese vice-foreign minister, Xiong Guangkai, deputy chief of General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, and Shi Yunsheng, commander of PLA Navy, also met with Blair respectively.
US Arms Sales to Taiwan Threaten Sino-US Relations
The Bush team is due to make a decision next month on the annual arms provision to Taiwan. On the top of Taiwan's shopping-list are sophisticated weapons such as destroyers equipped with the AEGIS satellite anti-missile system.
The Chinese side hopes that the US Government strictly abides by the three Sino-US Joint Communiques, especially the one signed on August 17, 1982, said Zhang Qiyue, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, demanding the US Government stop immediately the sales of weapons to Taiwan, so as to avoid a "serious and destructive" impact on bilateral relations.
Arms sales to Taiwan by the US would not only pose a threat to the security of China, but also harm the stability of the Asia- Pacific region as a whole.
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