US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Lee Armitage' remarks on Taiwan made during his recent Beijing visit were a clear statement of the US stance on Taiwan, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue Tuesday at a regular press conference.

Zhang made the remarks when asked to comment on Armitage's remarks that the referendum does raise some questions and makes people doubt the motive of those who set forth the referendum and that the US is still studying Chen Shui-bian's proposal.

She said Armitage's statement reiterated the recent US stance on the Taiwan issue including adhering to the one-China policy, abiding by the three Sino-US joint communiques, opposing Taiwan independence and any word or activity of the Taiwan authority to change the status quo of Taiwan.

Armitage said at a press conference on Jan. 30 in Beijing that the referendum "does raise some questions and makes people doubt the motive of those who set forth the referendum."

"As I understand it, referenda are generally reserved for items or issues which are either very divisive or very difficult," he said. "And the wording I've seen of the referendum seems to be neither divisive nor difficult."

Meanwhile, he said the US has dealt with the Taiwan issue sensitively and sensibly since the normalization of relations between the United States and China 25 years ago.

(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2004)