Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing stressed on Thursday that China is firmly opposed to the sales of weapons by any foreign country to Taiwan, which is a part of China.

Addressing a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Colin Powell during a visit to America, Li said: "The Chinese government and people attach great importance to the reaffirmations made by the US president, the secretary, and US government on many occasions concerning the US's continued adherence to the one-China policy, observance of the three Sino-US joint communiques, and opposition to 'Taiwan independence.'

"At the same time, I wish to point out that in any country its domestic law should not go above its international commitments," he said.

Li also said: "The Chinese government and Chinese people are ready to use our maximum sincerity and make our best efforts to realize a peaceful reunification of the country and find a peaceful solution to the Taiwan question.

"However, we will never, ever allow anyone to use any means to separate Taiwan, which is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory, from the rest of our great motherland."

He stressed that China is firmly opposed to the sale of weapons by any foreign country to Taiwan, "because we don't think it is in the interest of our peaceful efforts towards the resolution of the Taiwan question.

"It does not serve the interests of peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, and eventually it will not serve the interests of those countries who are prepared to sell weapons to Taiwan," he said.

Powell said the United States does not support a movement towards independence on the part of Taiwan and the ultimate settlement of the Taiwan question has to be acceptable to both sides of the Taiwan Straits.

Speaking after his meeting with China's foreign minister, Powell told reporters: "I once again reaffirmed our one-China policy and the strength of the three communiques and also noted our obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act and reaffirmed what President Bush has said a number of times, that we do not support a movement towards independence on the part of Taiwan."

Foreign Minister Li made the point that the Taiwan Relations Act, which violates the Sino-US communique on establishment of full diplomatic relations, should not be pre-eminent over the US's international commitments.

The Taiwan Relations Act was approved by the US Congress in 1979, weeks after Washington established diplomatic relations with Beijing.

Powell stressed that "there is no support in the United States for an independence movement in Taiwan, because that would be inconsistent with our obligations and our commitment to our one-China policy."

Asked by reporters whether the United States is going to ignore the voice and desire of a billion-plus people on the Chinese mainland, Powell responded "of course not."

"It has to be acceptable to both sides (of the Taiwan Straits). That's what reconciliation is all about," said Powell.

He added: "We strongly support our one-China policy, which has stood the test of time. It has benefited people in Taiwan, benefited people on the mainland, and it's benefited the international community and certainly benefited the United States."

The resolution of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula through the framework of the six-party talks is the only "feasible and correct" option, said Li.

"All the parties who attend the Beijing six-party talks, and in fact the entire international community, have expressed the view that the resolution of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula through the six-party talks is the only feasible and proper option," Li told reporters.

The Chinese foreign minister said there have emerged "some new complicating factors and new difficulties" concerning the next round of the six-party talks.

"This has required all of us to continue to adopt a more peaceful means to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, through the framework of the six-party talks, because nothing is more precious than peace," he said.

For his part, Powell said he believed the six-party talks framework will work. "I think that the six-party framework is what we should be concentrating on right now.

"I am quite confident that the six-party framework is a framework in which this matter will be dealt with for the foreseeable future because it serves the interests of all parties, " said Powell.

Three rounds of the six-party talks, hosted by China, have thus far been held.

(China Daily October 2, 2004)