¡¡BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhuanet) -- During her 24-hour China tour, US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice reiterated that the United States will stick to the "one-China" policy and do not support Taiwan independence.

    She told Chinese leaders that President Bush understands the sensitivity of the Taiwan issue and he will honor his commitments,stick to the "one-China" policy and the three US-China joint communiques, and render no support to Taiwan independence.

    Chinese President Hu Jintao, Central Military Commission Chairman Jiang Zemin, State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing met with Rice respectively during her stay inChina.

    President Hu said Rice's visit could be helpful to fully understand China's aspiration in promoting China-US ties and the country's "serious concern" over the Taiwan issue.

    China hopes the United States to honor its commitments on the Taiwan issue and not send wrong signal to the Taiwan authority to avoid damage to the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, President Hu told Rice.

    "If the Taiwan authority go their own way towards Taiwan independence, and if the foreign forces step in, we will never sitby and watch," Jiang said during meeting with Rice on Thursday.

    China's basic and consistent stance is to settle the Taiwan question through dialogues and negotiations on the basis of the "one-China" principle, Tang noted.

    Rice, who concluded her China visit Friday, said China is changing greatly and a strong and confident China is in the interest of the United States.

    China-US relation observers here said facing new opportunities and challenges, China and the United States, who share broad and common interests with solid cooperation basics, are expected to contribute joint efforts in promoting bilateral ties.

    Their cooperation is significant to the stability of Asia and the world at large, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue, adding that bilateral trade has increased by 50 timessince diplomatic ties was forged 25 years ago.

    "While the China-US ties was at the best period, the situationacross the Taiwan Strait is at the most tense stage since the end of the Cold War," said Fu Mengzi, researcher with the American Studies of the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.

    "The two sides should consider their relations from a long-termand strategic point of view," Fu said. "In terms of that, Rice's China tour was part of the strategic dialogue between the two big countries with worldwide influence."

    "All of these will contribute to the further development of China-US ties and to peace and stability in the region and worldwide," he said. Enditem