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STATE TELEVISION said Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing called in U.S. Ambassador Clark T. Randt Jr. to deliver “solemn representations” on a Pentagon nuclear policy review and a visit to the United States by Taiwan Defense Minister Tang Yiau-ming.
It said Li protested strongly at a U.S. policy review reported to describe contingency plans to aim nuclear weapons at China, among several other countries.
“China wants to make it very clear that China will never yield to foreign threats, including nuclear blackmail,” the television report quoted Li as telling Randt. “The days when China could be bullied are gone forever.”
Threats would “simply increase the determination of the Chinese people to safeguard their sovereignty,” he added.
The Pentagon’s Nuclear Posture Review also identified six other nations: Russia, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea and Syria.
President Bush said this week he was leaving “all options on the table” as the Pentagon reworks its nuclear weapons policy to deter any attack on the United States.
Secretary of State Colin Powell has sought to play down the policy review and offered assurances on Friday that the United States did not have nuclear missiles targeted on any one nation. But, he told The Associated Press in an interview, to be “perfectly honest,” a missile can be redirected quickly and “we have nuclear weapons obviously that are capable of being targeted.”
U.S.-TAIWAN TIES OBJECTED TO
Li also accused Washington of encouraging independence activists in Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a rebel province to be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary, by allowing Tang in and letting him meet senior U.S. officials.
Beijing has a standing threat to invade the island if Taiwan declares independence or drags its feet indefinitely on reunification talks.
It always issues angry protests when a senior Taiwan official is allowed into the United States.
But Beijing was particularly incensed by Tang’s talks with U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, the highest-level documented U.S.-Taiwan defense talks in at least 22 years.
China’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that Tang’s visit, and his meeting with Wolfowitz at a private conference in Florida, jeopardized a recent warming in Sino-U.S. ties.
The talks focused on U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and were seen by some analysts as a U.S. bid to counter China’s growing military power.
BREAK FROM SEPT. 11 SOLIDARITY
On Wednesday, an official Chinese newspaper accused Washington of using the policy review as a pretext to resume nuclear tests and develop new nuclear arms to extend its military dominance in the world.
But Li’s language was the strongest China has used against the United States in many months and stood out sharply against the background of improved ties since Beijing backed the U.S.-led war on terror following the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington.
Taiwan: The breakaway island off the coast of China is the most sensitive issue in China-U.S. ties. Washington has had no diplomatic relations with Taipei since 1979, but remains the country’s biggest arms supplier. China claims the island and has threatened to invade if Taiwan declares independence or drags its feet on reunification talks.
Human rights: The United States is pushing for U.N. Commission on Human Rights censure of China for alleged repression of Tibetans, unregistered Christians, members of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement and pro-democracy activists.
Beijing has bitterly rejected U.S. assertions that China’s human rights record has worsened over the last year.
Missile defense: China is staunchly opposed to U.S. plans to build a National Missile Defense system that Washington says is necessary to ward off ballistic missiles from hostile states such as North Korea, Iran and Iraq. Beijing fears such a system would negate its modest strategic arsenal.
World Trade Organization: China's 15-year quest to join the WTO ended on Dec. 11, 2001, when it became a member of the international trading system. Its ascension to the world trade body prompted Washington to formally grant permanent trading relations to Beijing effective Jan. 1, 2002 — a move that helped to bridge Sino-U.S. rifts over the 1999 NATO bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade and the mid-air collision of a U.S. spy plane and a Chinese fighter jet in 2001.
Detentions: China has detained, charged and convicted several U.S.-affiliated Chinese academics for 'spying' for rival Taiwan. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell managed to win freedom for three scholars, including one Chinese-born U.S. citizen, ahead of a visit to Beijing in July 2001. However, several other academics still remain behind bars.
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Li accused Washington of breaching three joint communiqués, which paved the way for a normalization of ties, by offering Taiwan advanced weapons.
“The United States must abandon the idea of Taiwan as an unsinkable aircraft carrier,” he was quoted as saying.
“Taiwan has been a burden on the U.S. shoulders for more than half a century. We don’t see any good in the U.S. continuing to shoulder that burden,” he said. “It will simply drop a stone on its own toes.”
In the three communiqués, Washington recognized Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan, promised to reduce arms sales to the island gradually and to maintain unofficial links to Taipei.
U.S. support of Taiwan's military angers Beijing. This January, 2002, file shot shows Taiwanese forces using U.S.-made M60 TTS tanks on exercise on Punghu island in the Taiwan Strait.
President Bush reaffirmed that recognition of Chinese sovereignty during a visit to Beijing last month, but he also said Washington would honor its commitment to protect Taiwan in the face of attack or provocation.
Last year, Bush said he would do “whatever it took” to help Taiwan repel any Chinese invasion.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
It said Li protested strongly at a U.S. policy review reported to describe contingency plans to aim nuclear weapons at China, among several other countries.
“China wants to make it very clear that China will never yield to foreign threats, including nuclear blackmail,” the television report quoted Li as telling Randt. “The days when China could be bullied are gone forever.”
Threats would “simply increase the determination of the Chinese people to safeguard their sovereignty,” he added.
The Pentagon’s Nuclear Posture Review also identified six other nations: Russia, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea and Syria.
President Bush said this week he was leaving “all options on the table” as the Pentagon reworks its nuclear weapons policy to deter any attack on the United States.
Secretary of State Colin Powell has sought to play down the policy review and offered assurances on Friday that the United States did not have nuclear missiles targeted on any one nation. But, he told The Associated Press in an interview, to be “perfectly honest,” a missile can be redirected quickly and “we have nuclear weapons obviously that are capable of being targeted.”
U.S.-TAIWAN TIES OBJECTED TO
Li also accused Washington of encouraging independence activists in Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a rebel province to be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary, by allowing Tang in and letting him meet senior U.S. officials.
Beijing has a standing threat to invade the island if Taiwan declares independence or drags its feet indefinitely on reunification talks.
It always issues angry protests when a senior Taiwan official is allowed into the United States.
But Beijing was particularly incensed by Tang’s talks with U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, the highest-level documented U.S.-Taiwan defense talks in at least 22 years.
China’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that Tang’s visit, and his meeting with Wolfowitz at a private conference in Florida, jeopardized a recent warming in Sino-U.S. ties.
The talks focused on U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and were seen by some analysts as a U.S. bid to counter China’s growing military power.
BREAK FROM SEPT. 11 SOLIDARITY
On Wednesday, an official Chinese newspaper accused Washington of using the policy review as a pretext to resume nuclear tests and develop new nuclear arms to extend its military dominance in the world.
But Li’s language was the strongest China has used against the United States in many months and stood out sharply against the background of improved ties since Beijing backed the U.S.-led war on terror following the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington.
Taiwan: The breakaway island off the coast of China is the most sensitive issue in China-U.S. ties. Washington has had no diplomatic relations with Taipei since 1979, but remains the country’s biggest arms supplier. China claims the island and has threatened to invade if Taiwan declares independence or drags its feet on reunification talks.
Human rights: The United States is pushing for U.N. Commission on Human Rights censure of China for alleged repression of Tibetans, unregistered Christians, members of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement and pro-democracy activists.
Beijing has bitterly rejected U.S. assertions that China’s human rights record has worsened over the last year.
Missile defense: China is staunchly opposed to U.S. plans to build a National Missile Defense system that Washington says is necessary to ward off ballistic missiles from hostile states such as North Korea, Iran and Iraq. Beijing fears such a system would negate its modest strategic arsenal.
World Trade Organization: China's 15-year quest to join the WTO ended on Dec. 11, 2001, when it became a member of the international trading system. Its ascension to the world trade body prompted Washington to formally grant permanent trading relations to Beijing effective Jan. 1, 2002 — a move that helped to bridge Sino-U.S. rifts over the 1999 NATO bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade and the mid-air collision of a U.S. spy plane and a Chinese fighter jet in 2001.
Detentions: China has detained, charged and convicted several U.S.-affiliated Chinese academics for 'spying' for rival Taiwan. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell managed to win freedom for three scholars, including one Chinese-born U.S. citizen, ahead of a visit to Beijing in July 2001. However, several other academics still remain behind bars.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Li accused Washington of breaching three joint communiqués, which paved the way for a normalization of ties, by offering Taiwan advanced weapons.
“The United States must abandon the idea of Taiwan as an unsinkable aircraft carrier,” he was quoted as saying.
“Taiwan has been a burden on the U.S. shoulders for more than half a century. We don’t see any good in the U.S. continuing to shoulder that burden,” he said. “It will simply drop a stone on its own toes.”
In the three communiqués, Washington recognized Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan, promised to reduce arms sales to the island gradually and to maintain unofficial links to Taipei.
U.S. support of Taiwan's military angers Beijing. This January, 2002, file shot shows Taiwanese forces using U.S.-made M60 TTS tanks on exercise on Punghu island in the Taiwan Strait.
President Bush reaffirmed that recognition of Chinese sovereignty during a visit to Beijing last month, but he also said Washington would honor its commitment to protect Taiwan in the face of attack or provocation.
Last year, Bush said he would do “whatever it took” to help Taiwan repel any Chinese invasion.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
