"Such contact overtly violates the principles of the three Sino-US joint communiquis and relevant commitments made by the United States,'' he said.

Kong was commenting on reports that Taiwan "foreign minister'' Eugene Chien had attended a meeting in the United States under the sponsorship of the American Enterprise Institute.

Chien also discussed "bilateral relations'' during a meeting with US Vice-President Dick Cheney.

Kong said that China has expressed deep concern over the issue and asked the United States to clarify its position in this regard.

"The move interferes in China's internal affairs and will damage Sino-US relations as well cooperation between the two sides,'' Kong said.

The United States should recognize the importance and sensitivity of the Taiwan question and review its official exchanges with Taiwan to avoid damaging Sino-US relations, the spokesman said.

Commenting on Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Beijing visit, the spokesman said that the Chinese government attaches great importance to the visit and has already deemed it "successful" and "significant to China-India relations", even though it has just begun.

Kong also commented on the newly-signed declaration on the principles for relations and comprehensive cooperation between China and India as "positive, mutually-beneficial, balanced and a win-win situation".

The declaration means a great deal, not only in terms of the current development of the two nations, but also to their long-term development and to the stability, prosperity and development of South Asia, he said.

The declaration, signed by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Vajpayee Monday evening, set out the goals and guiding principles for bilateral relations and outlined cooperation of the two countries in various fields.

The significance of the declaration lies in its retrospection of over 2000 years of friendly exchanges between the two peoples and of the more than 50 years of development of bilateral relations, and in its comments on the positive momentum of bilateral trade and economic cooperation in recent years, Kong said, adding that China-India relations have been progressing in spite of setbacks.

More importantly, the declaration establishes a comprehensive framework for the further development of bilateral ties in the fields of politics, trade and economics, culture, science and technology, education and the military.

The introductory clause of the declaration states that the two sides share mutual desire and interests in developing good neighborly relations and are determined to take full advantage of the substantial potential to expand cooperation, he said.

The two leaders recognize that developing mutually beneficial relations is conducive to the development of the two nations' economies and societies and is also favorable to cooperation and stability in Asia, the world's multipolarization, and the utilization of favorable factors created by economic globalization, he said.

China and India have a great deal in common in terms of their histories, their current situations and their future development. Both are developing nations with long histories and large populations, and both are facing the tasks faced by all developing economies, Kong said.

It is thus their responsibility to develop good neighborly relations and cooperation and to complement each other in economic and other areas in order to promote common development and peace, stability and prosperity in Asia and South Asia, he said.

In the declaration, the Indian government has, for the first time, explicitly recognized that the Tibet Autonomous Region is part of China's territory and has reiterated its prohibition of any anti-China activity on its territory by Tibetans.

Kong regarded this as an "important" and "positive" declaration from the Indian government that is conducive to the comprehensive development of bilateral relations.

China and India jointly advocated the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence 50 years ago, including its core principle of "non-interference in each other's internal affairs", Kong said, noting that it is natural for India to prohibit political activities potential harmful to China.

The two sides also signed a memorandum on the promotion of cross-border trade on Monday. Kong said the memorandum is important for the advancement of bilateral trade.

Total trade volume between China and India reached nearly US$5 billion in 2002, and that for the first five months of 2003 increased by 70 percent year-on-year, Kong said.

The growth rate is quite fast, he said, but far from adequate, considering the complementary and potential of the two economies.

In other developments, Sheikah Mozah Al-Misnad, Consort of the Emir of the State of Qatar, reportedly announced on Monday his plans to establish an International Fund For Iraqi Higher Education at an international higher education conference in Paris.

In response, Kong said China appreciates and supports the setting up of the fund and hopes it will be conducive to the restoration and development of Iraqi education.

Kong also answered a question about whether cooperation between China, Russia and India could threaten other nations in the regions.

He said the ties are not intended to target a third party.

The three countries share common interests and similar stances in promoting democracy of international relations, maintaining security and stability in the region and the world, and boosting economic development, Kong noted.

He also disclosed that South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun is to visit China at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao, but gave no further details.

(Sources from China Daily and Xinhua News Agency, June 25, 2003)