BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhuanet) -- China's National People's Congress
(NPC) Foreign Affairs Committee has strongly condemned U.S.
congressional acts which it says show strengthening U.S.-Taiwan
military cooperation.
   In a statement released in Beijing on Monday, it said the U.S.
House of Representatives recently adopted the Fiscal Year 2003
Defense Authorization Act, which contains items strengthening U.S.-
Taiwan military cooperation. The act flagrantly demands that the U.
S. military "shall implement a comprehensive plan to conduct joint
operational training for, and exchanges of senior officers between,
the Armed Forces of the United States and the military forces of
Taiwan."
   Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2003 State
Department Authorization Act, which details increasing arms sales
to Taiwan, asking the U.S. President to sell four Kidd-class
destroyers to Taiwan.
   The statement said that these Taiwan-related Acts passed
successively by the U.S. House and Senate seriously violated China
's sovereignty and constituted wanton interference in China's
internal affairs. "We resolutely oppose and strongly condemn the
matter."
   The Act adopted by the U.S. House claimed that the purposes of
their demand to implement the plan to strengthen U.S.-Taiwan
military cooperation are to improve the so-called "defensive
abilities" of Taiwan and to enhance "interoperability" between the
military forces of Taiwan and the United States, the statement
added.
   It said this is virtually an intention to establish a
paramilitary alliance between the United States and Taiwan,
leading U.S.-Taiwan relations towards military alliance.
   In 2000, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted the Taiwan
Security Enhancement Act, which was later shelved in the Senate in
face of strong opposition and condemnation from China, the
statement said.
   Now, it added, a small number of U.S. legislators would not
leave the matter to rest. Turning a blind eye to earnest
representations from China, they again raised again the spectre of
interfering in China's internal affairs. Being grave of the nature,
if the Act became law, the consequences would be dangerous.
   The statement said that it is indisputable that the provisions
relating to Taiwan in the Act the U.S. House of Representatives
has passed, are aimed at bolstering the "Taiwan independence"
forces and encouraging their arrogance in "denying peace by use of
force" and "denying reunification by use of force" thus
obstructing the cause of China's peaceful reunification.
   The statement said that it is seriously detrimental to  Sino-U.
S. relations as well. The Chinese people are extremely indignant
about it and it is impossible for them to accept.
   It said that the Taiwan question has always been the most
important and sensitive core question in Sino-U.S. relations. Both
the U.S. Democratic and Republican governments have committed
themselves to adherence to the one-China policy and principles of
the three China-U.S. joint communiques. This forms the cornerstone
for normal Sino-U.S. relations.
   But for a long time now certain people in the United States
have resorted to every possible trick to interrupt and undermine
the development of Sino-U.S. relations via the Taiwan question.
They repeatedly put forward resolutions which went against the
three joint communiques, particularly the China-U.S. August 17th
Joint Communique, the statement said. 
   It said that striking examples are the Acts concocted by the U.
S. Senate and House of Representatives and other related actions
taken by the U.S. on the Taiwan question.
   The statement also noted that having survived difficulties and
hardships, the present Sino-U.S. relationship need to be mutually
cherished and maintained by both sides, because it conforms to the
basic interests of both countries.
   Strengthening military cooperation between the United States
and Taiwan and increasing weapon sales to Taiwan will certainly
raise tensions in the Taiwan Straits and endanger the peace and
stability of the Asia-Pacific region, the statement said.
   It will not only undermine the interests of China, but also
harm the interests of the United States and shake the basis of 
Sino-U.S. relations, the statement said.
   Moreover, it said, history has repeatedly proved that whenever
the U.S. scrupulously observes the principles of the three Sino-U.
S. joint communiques on the Taiwan issue, Sino-U.S. relations
develop smoothly. Otherwise Sino-U.S. relations will take an
unexpected turn and even fall back.
   "We hope that U.S. legislators pay serious regard to the
importance of Sino-U.S. relations, handle the Taiwan issue
properly, and act more to promote Sino-U.S. relations than to
hinder them," the statement said.
   "We hope the U.S. government will strictly abide by the
principles of the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques and its
related commitments and take effective measures to prevent the
above acts from becoming law, so that the stable and healthy Sino-
U.S. relations can be continuously advanced," the statement said.
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