China firmly opposes US arms sales to Taiwan, and has demanded that the United States should clarify the report by Taiwan media on US arms sales to the island, Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan told a regular news briefing in Beijing Thursday.

Taiwan media reported that the United States inclined to sell submarines, Patriot-III anti-missile system and anti-submarine planes to Taiwan, and the island is ready to propose a budgetary program for the sales.

The US arms sales to Taiwan violate the three Sino-US joint communiqués, particularly the August 17 Joint Communiqué, Kong said.

The move "interferes with China's internal affairs and may lead to further tension in situation across the Taiwan Straits," the spokesman said, adding that China has been opposing arms sales to Taiwan.

"We urged the US side to honor its commitments, stop arms sales to Taiwan and stop any words or deeds in violation of the principles in the three joint communiqués to avoid sabotaging the peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and the development of Sino-US relations," Kong said.

Kong said China always holds a "very prudent" attitude on conventional weapons sales to other countries.

Kong said that the number of conventional weapons sold by China to other countries is very limited.

The fundamental principle of China's conventional weapons sales is that it should be conducive to the national defense of the purchasing countries, conducive to their national stability, and especially conducive to regional stability, he said.

During US Vice President Dick Cheney's visit to China, the spokesman said Chinese leaders including Chinese President Hu Jintao, Chairman of the Central Military Commission Jiang Zemin and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao had all stated China's firm stance on the issue and urged the US side to stop arms sales to Taiwan and sending incorrect signals to the forces for "Taiwan Independence."

Kong quoted Cheney as saying that the US side had realized the importance of the Taiwan issue to the Sino-US relations and the United States would adhere to the one-China policy based on the three joint communiqués between China and the United States.

Cheney also said the United States would not support Taiwan's "independence" or any unilateral actions to change the status quo of the two sides of the Taiwan Straits, Kong added.

Cheney's visit was important and positive, Kong said, adding that "China and the United States have maintained exchanges of high-level visits, which is helpful for the two sides to exchange views on key issues, especially on further improvement of bilateral relations."

"In general, the relations between China and the United States kept good momentum, with reciprocal cooperation in political, economic and other areas," the spokesman said.

Through Cheney's visit, the two sides agreed that cooperation was in the interests of the two peoples and in the future the two countries would be devoted to developing constructive and cooperative relations, Kong said.

"The significance of Cheney's visit also lies in the Taiwan issue," Kong added, expressing the hope that the United States should observe its promise of sticking to the one-China policy and the three joint communiqués between China and the United States.

During the visit, the two sides also agreed to expand exchanges, increase consensus and smooth differences, Kong continued.

After China again foiled an anti-China attempt brewed by the United States, Kong said the United States isolated itself and gained an outcome of failure for tabling an anti-China draft resolution at UN human rights session. 

"We demand the US side to face the reality, draw lesson from its failure, abandon confrontation and resolves the difference between China and the United States on human rights by dialogues and exchanges for the development of bilateral relations," he said.

Kong made the announcement after an earlier voting in the session in Geneva.

A "no-action" motion China tabled was passed by voting at the 60th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

With 28 votes for, 16 against and 9 abstentions, the 53-member commission approved the Chinese motion, thus rejecting the US draft resolution against China before it was put to the vote.

This is China's 11th victory over the US-led anti-China bid since 1990.

The Chinese government expressed admiration and gratitude for all countries who uphold justice and show their support to China, Kong said.

The US draft resolution "has no factual ground," the spokesman said. The Chinese government adheres to people-centered principle and is committed to do all it can in the interest of the Chinese people, he said, adding that the Chinese people enjoyed higher degree of rights and interests. 

"The Chinese people have their own heartfelt feeling on it and the international community also has fair judgment on it," Kong said.

According to the spokesman, the Chinese government has carried out dialogues and cooperation with a number of countries, including the United States, in either bilateral or multilateral framework.

"Proceeding from its own domestic political needs, the United States, however, again sought the path of confrontation," he said. "What it earned is an isolation and what it gained is a failure."

Of the 53 members now seating on the UN Commission on Human Rights, those who voted for China's no-action motion include Bahrain, Bhutan, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, India, Indonesia, Mauritania, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Togo, Ukraine, Zimbabwe and China. 

Those who voted against the motion are Australia, Austria, Costa Rica, Croatia, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Britain and the United States.

And those voted with abstentions are from Argentina, Armenia, Chile, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, the Republic of Korea and Uganda.

In another development, the spokesman said 15 out of 17 Chinese crew members had been rescued after a ship sank off the Indian Sea.

Staff with the Chinese Embassy in India and Indian Coast Guard vessels had continued their search-and-rescue mission in hopes of finding the missing two seamen, according to Kong.

The crewmen were aboard a Malaysian cargo ship that sank in rough seas in the Bay of Bengal Tuesday afternoon. The ship, named MV Genius Star-VI, sank in the high seas off the West Bengal coast about 190 km southeast of Haldia town, according to a report.

The rescued sailors, said to be in good health, were brought to Haldia and received medical treatment.

"Chinese Foreign Ministry has instructed the Chinese Embassy in India to send officials to the site to lend a hand in the rescue work," said Kong. 

The Chinese government and family members of rescued sailors had expressed gratitude to the active efforts made by the Indian government and relevant authorities for the rescue work, said Kong.

The Malaysian ship was carrying a consignment of logs from Malaysia to Kolkata.

Also at yesterday's briefing, the spokesman said "China has lodged solemn representations to Canada on Dalai Lama's visit to Canada." 

China has reiterated its attitude to the Dalai Lama, Kong said, adding that the Dalai Lama is not a religious figure but a political activist engaging in splitting China.

In the context of the all-round development of Sino-Canadian relations, Canada should not provide a platform for the Dalai Lama, Kong said, expressing the hope that Canada should correct its mistake and cancel the meeting between Canadian officials and him.

Turning to the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), Kong said China holds that the BFA has achieved substantial progress in enhancing dialogues and exchanges between Asian countries and the rest of the world since it was founded in 2001.

Kong said the annual meeting of the BFA, slated for April 24-25 in China's southernmost Hainan Province, will draw high-level representatives from home and overseas. Chinese President Hu Jintao will attend the meeting and make a keynote speech, he said.

The basic purpose of the BFA is to deepen the economic exchanges, coordination and cooperation between Asian countries, as well as strengthen dialogues and communications between Asian countries and the rest of the world, Kong said, adding that the BFA provides a high-level dialogue platform for governments, enterprises, experts and scholars to discuss issues in the fields of economy, trade and social development.

Kong said the theme for this year's BFA is "A Win-Win Asia: Asia That Opens up to the World."

"We can see from the theme that Asian countries expect to further enhance exchanges and cooperation in various fields with the world, so as to realize common development and prosperity," he said.

In response to a reporter's question on whether the Vatican wants to establish diplomatic relations with China, Kong said the Vatican should first break off its relations with Taiwan, and does not interfere in China's internal affairs under the pretext of religion, if it wants to establish relations with China.

Kong said China holds a clear stance on the Vatican issue, and it is up to the Vatican to take action, he said.

The Vatican should meet the above two demands if it has the sincerity to establish relations with China.

Moving on to the six party talks on the Korean nuclear issue, the spokesman said that China's stance on this issue is consistent. 

China has maintained its wish to build a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula through dialogue and political means aiming to safeguard the security of the peninsula, he said. 

To this end, China has made efforts to promote three-party and six-party talks for the nuclear issue, he said.

Kong said the international community also hopes to solve the issue through dialogue and negotiations, which is vitally important to the peace and stability of Asia and the world.

Kong expressed his hope that the parties concerned show flexibility to solve the issue and enable the third round of six-party talks to be held before the end of this June.

(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2004)