Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said such moves would be against the three Sino-US joint communiques.

Liu was speaking after the US Congress passed a bill that includes Taiwan-related clauses demanding the US Government to report to the US Congress on the rationality and feasibility of a joint military drill between the US and Taiwan.

"Although the Taiwan-related substance of the bill has been weakened, it goes against the US pledge to China on the Taiwan question and has sent new wrong signals to the Taiwan independence force," Liu said.

He urged the US side to stick to the one-China policy, observe the three Sino-US joint communiques, and honor its commitments to opposing Taiwan independence and stop wrongdoings on the Taiwan question to avoid harming Sino-US relations.

The spokesman said at yesterday's regular press briefing that China firmly supports strikes on terrorism of any form.

"But such a strike should have conclusive evidence, a clear target, and fit the principles and tenets of the United Nations Charter," Liu said when asked to comment on Australian Prime Minister John Howard's statement that Australia would be prepared to launch pre-emptive action against terrorist attack overseas.

Turning to the conference on Afghanistan held on Monday in Bonn, Germany, Liu said China hopes all nationalities and parties in the Afghanistan can seriously implement the Bonn Agreement signed last year for an early realization of national reconciliation and the rebuilding of the homeland.

(China Daily December 4, 2002)