BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Li
Zhaoxing summoned U.S. Ambassador to China Clark T. Randt here
Saturday, making solemn representations with the U.S. government
on its recent acts of interfering in China's internal affairs and
undermining China-U.S. relations.
  Li said that several days ago, the U.S. government allowed
Taiwan's so-called "defense minister" Tang Yiau-min to visit the
United States to attend a meeting. U.S. deputy defense secretary
and some other U.S. government officials even met Tang and
discussed with him matters including the situation across the
Taiwan Straits.
  According to some reports, the U.S. side is now considering to
allow the visit to the U.S. by another military official of Taiwan,
and to agree to a tour by Lee Teng-hui, the notorious "trouble-
maker", in the near future.
  What is more, Li said, the "Nuclear Posture Review" submitted
to the Congress recently by the U.S. Department of Defense openly
stated that nuclear weapons would be used in the event of military
confrontation in the Taiwan Straits.
  In a short time of slightly more than a month, the U.S. side
has done so many wrong things that trample upon the spirit of the
U.N. Charter and the principle of the three Sino-U.S. Joint
Communiques, interfere in China's internal affairs and hurt the
national sentiments of the Chinese people, Li said, stressing that
the Chinese government and people hereby express their strong
indignation and firm opposition.
  Li said that the question of Taiwan, which bears on China's
sovereignty and territorial integrity, is the most important and
most sensitive issue at the heart of China-U.S. relations. The U.S.
side must honor the explicit commitments it has made to the
Chinese government and people in the three Sino-U.S. Joint
Communiques.

  However, the U.S. side is acting stubbornly and arbitrarily in
continuing to sell sophisticated weapons to Taiwan, pampering such
figures as Lee Teng-hui, upgrading U.S.-Taiwan relations and
inflating the arrogance of the separatist forces in Taiwan, Li
said.
  "People can not but ask: to where does the U.S. side intend to
lead China-US relations," he said, "You talked about hoping to see
a peaceful settlement between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits.
Is what you are doing promoting peace? You repeatedly said that
the United States pursues a one-China policy and abides by the
three Sino-U.S. Joint Communiques. Is any part of your acts
mentioned above consistent with these Joint Communiques?"
  Li said China has all along stood for the complete prohibition
and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons and maintained that
nuclear weapon states should unconditionally undertake not to be
the first to use nuclear weapons or use or threaten to use nuclear
weapons against non-nuclear weapon states and nuclear weapon free
zones. China and the U.S. also reached agreement on mutual non-
targeting of their nuclear weapons. The U.S. side has also
indicated on many occasions that it has no intention to threaten
China.
  "Then why all this nuclear sabre-rattling at the Chinese people?
" Li said.
  He noted that Taiwan has been an inalienable part of Chinese
territory since ancient times. To realize reunification of the
motherland has been the common aspiration of all the Chinese
people, Taiwan compatriots included. It is an inevitable trend
that no one can resist, Li said.

  "Pampering and supporting 'Taiwan independence' can only meet
with the resolute opposition of all the Chinese people and will be
doomed to failure," Li said.
  Describing the Taiwan question as "a burden on the back of the
United States for more than half a century", Li said that "keeping
it on the back will do no good to the United States, for it may
end up like lifting a rock only to drop it on one's own toes."
  It is more advisable for the U.S. side to follow the trends of
history and give up the policy of taking Taiwan as an "unsinkable
aircraft-carrier" and using the Taiwan question to interfere in
China's internal affairs, so that the constructive and cooperative
relationship between China the United States will be better served
and so will world peace and stability, Li said.
  The Chinese people love peace and sincerely hope to live in
peace and treat each other as equals with all peoples in the world.
China does not pose a threat to any country. The Chinese people
have never interfered in the internal affairs of the United States
nor have they done anything to harm the American people, Li said.
  "At the same time, we must let the handful of political
paranoids know that the Chinese people will never yield to any
outside intimidation, including nuclear blackmail," he said.
  "The time when the Chinese people were bullied has long gone.
In the world today, it is a very proud thing to be a Chinese," he
said.  

  "If there is anything good in threatening the Chinese people,
it can only be one thing: the Chinese people's vigilance against
certain people will be further heightened, their determination to
safeguard the motherland's sovereignty, territorial integrity and
national dignity will be greatly enhanced," Li said.
  He pointed out that it has not been accidental for China and
the United States to develop friendship and cooperation in such
fields as economy, trade, politics and fight against terrorism in
good time and bad over the past 30 years .
  "The West has a saying that makes a lot of sense: there is no
free lunch," he said. "Both history and reality tell us that China-
U.S. relationship has always been a two-way street and serve both
sides. It is not a favor that one gives to the other."
  Only when the three Joint Communiques are strictly observed and
the question of Taiwan properly handled can there be stability and
growth in the relationship, he said.
  The principles enshrined in the three Joint Communiques
constitute the political basis of China-U.S. relations. The U.S.
government also made serious commitments therein.
  "The East also has a saying that fits into the situation here:
a man who is not trustworthy cannot stand. How can a nation stand
on its feet among the community of nations if it does not honor
its own words?" Li said.
  The talented and hardworking Chinese people will never tolerate
outside interference in their internal affairs while allowing a
small number of people in America, who cling to the Cold-War
mentality, confound the right for the wrong and take a friend for
an enemy, to cash in, he said.

  Li said that he believes the pragmatic and smart American
people will also not permit the irresponsible acts of those
hypocritical and foolish hawks to tarnish their good reputation
and undermine their vital interests.
  Noting that a number of people of vision in the U.S. are
condemning 'the nuclear rogue' and the arrogance of certain
figures, Li said that as two great peoples, the Chinese and the
Americans will not sit idle watching these elements create
troubles for Sino-U.S. relations and lead the world towards
turbulence.
  The Chinese side highly regards the positive achievements of
President Bush's visit to China, and values the good opportunities
for the bilateral relations brought by this successful visit, he
said.
  "We hope that the U.S. side will join us in materializing the
spirit of the Beijing Summit and advancing the constructive and
cooperative relationship between the two countries," Li said.
  But "it takes two hands to make a clap" and efforts from both
sides are needed, he said, adding that opportunities can lead to
fruition or they can slip away.
  "As things stand now, the attitude of the U.S. side is the key,
" Li said.
  He urged the U.S. side to immediately correct the above-
mentioned mistakes, abide by the three Joint Communiques, refrain
from doing things that harm others and itself, and contribute to
stronger mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries,
in order to maintain the overall interests of China-US relations
and keep the interests of both peoples from undue harms.  
  "We hope the U.S. side can make the wise choice," he said.
  The U.S. Ambassador promised to report faithfully the
representations of the Chinese side to the highest U.S.
authorities.