The US Administration recently signed into the law "Foreign Operations, Export Financing & Related Programs Appropriation Act, 2001", which was passed by the US Senate and House of Representatives.

The Act, containing a number of anti-China provisions, brutally interferes in China's internal affairs and undermines China's interests by exploiting the issues of Taiwan, human rights and Tibet, the statement noted.

According to the statement, the Act once again advocates sales of weapons to Taiwan and requires the US President to consult with Congressional leaders and ranking members prior to the next round of arms talks between the United States and Taiwan.

It noted that the US side should know quite well the definite commitment made the US Government in the Sino-US "August 17th Communique" in 1982, i.e., the US "does not seek to carry out a long-term policy of arms sales to Taiwan", "that its arms sales to Taiwan will not exceed, either in qualitative or in quantitative terms, the level of those supplied in recent years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States, and that it intends gradually to reduce sales of arms to Taiwan, leading, over a period of time, to a final resolution".

However, in recent years, it stated, the US side, disregarding the firm opposition from the Chinese side, wantonly violates the provisions in the "August 17th Communique".

Instead of reducing and stopping arms sales to Taiwan, the statement said, the US has further increased sales of advanced arms to Taiwan, far exceeding the level of the past years both in quality and in quantity.

This not only constitutes a severe encroachment upon China's sovereignty, but also pours oil on the flame fanned up by the "Taiwan independence" forces, resulting in tension in the Taiwan Straits and blocking China's peaceful reunification, it noted.

The US side should fully perceive the grave consequences implied in the US arms sales to Taiwan and abide by the three Sino-US joint communiques and relevant commitments and immediately cease its arms sales to Taiwan, it urged.

In gross violation of the international norms, the Act provides support to Chinese separatist activities and other hostile elements under various pretexts, the statement pointed out, strongly condemning such provocative acts by the US side.

The statement noted it is in the fundamental interests of the two countries to maintain and promote stable and healthy bilateral relations.

It advises the American side to pay serious regard to the importance of the Sino-US relations, scrupulously carry out the three Sino-US joint communiques and observe the basic norms governing international relations.

"We must also ask the US side to stop making use of the Taiwan, Tibetan and human rights issues in their interference in China's internal affairs and avoid doing anything detrimental to the Sino-US relations," it said.

(People's Daily 11/12/2000)