Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said at a press conference Tuesday in Beijing that China is firmly opposed to the proposed sale of submarines to Taiwan by US companies.
Zhang made the remark when asked to comment on the issue that some US companies have agreed to sell diesel submarines to Taiwan, saying that China is strongly opposed to US weapon sales,especially submarine sales, to Taiwan, and has held negotiations with the US on the issue.
Zhang stressed that China hopes the United States realize the harm its arms sales do to Taiwan, keep to the three Sino-US joint communiques, especially the one issued on August 17, 1982, and stop arms sales to Taiwan in order to avoid harming Sino-US relations.
(Xinhua News Agency November 20, 2001)