FM Spokesman: China's Military Policy Defensive

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, September 12, 2003

FM Spokesman: China's Military Policy Defensive

China's national defense policies and military deployments are aimed at safeguarding national security and territorial integrity, Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said Thursday.

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China's national defense policies and military deployments are aimed at safeguarding national security and territorial integrity, Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said Thursday.

Kong Quan made the remark in response to a question relating to an annual report of the Pentagon on the military power of China, which was issued on July 30.

He said China, as a sovereign state, had an independent foreign policy of peace and its national defense policy was defense-oriented.

"We will keep on marching on the road of peace and development," he said.

Some interest groups in the United States were attempting to create an excuse to sell weapons to Taiwan by overstating China's military force and expenditure and scare-mongering over the mainland's threat to Taiwan, he said.

Taiwan was an inalienable part of China's territory and the Chinese government had always adhered to the basic principles of "peaceful reunification" and "one country, two systems", and would try its best to realize a peaceful reunification.

"As we can see, the growth of the 'Taiwan independence' forces is precisely the greatest threat to stability across the Taiwan Strait," Kong said.

Kong said the United States had repeatedly agreed to abide by the three Sino-US joint communiques, adhere to the one-China policy and to oppose Taiwan's independence.

"We hope the United States would effectively honor its commitments," he said. "The facts speak for themselves: the international community regards China as an active force in maintaining world peace and promoting common development."

China strongly opposes the United States allowing the Dalai Lama to visit the country and arranging visits for him with US leaders , the Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

"The Dalai Lama is not simply a religious figure; he is a political figure living in exile who has long been committed to separatist activities and to undermining national unity,'' Kong told a regular press briefing.

"We have lodged serious representations with the United States and urged the US side to abide by its promise that it recognizes Tibet as part of China and does not support Tibet independence,'' Kong said.

He made these remarks in response to the Dalai Lama's three-week visit to the United States, which began on September 4, and his meeting with US President George W. Bush on Wednesday and US Secretary of State Colin Powell on Tuesday in Washington.

The Chinese side has also urged the United States to stop interfering with the Tibet issue, which is China's internal affair, so as not to harm China-US relations, the spokesman said.

He said the channel for contact between the central government and the Dalai Lama is unblocked as long as the Dalai Lama abandons his separatist activities, both verbally and with actions, and definitely acknowledges that Tibet and Taiwan are inalienable parts of China.

Talking about the European Commission's new strategy document to guide European Union (EU) policy and action towards China, Kong said China appreciates and welcomes the EU's efforts to enhance China-EU relations.

"The constantly expansion and deepening of comprehensive co-operation between China and the EU and the enhancement of co-ordination and consultation on international and regional affairs meet the interests of both sides and benefit world peace, stability and development under the current international situation,'' Kong said.

Turning to the consultation among foreign ministers of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council on Iraq, Kong said the new UN resolution should be conducive to maintaining peace and order in Iraq, to promoting the Iraq's resumption of its sovereignty and to speeding up its reconstruction.

"The full involvement of the UN role in the effort to reach this goal is indispensable,'' Kong said.

He said China is seriously studying the proposal by the United States and supports some ideas proposed by France, Germany and Russia during the UN discussion.

"We are willing to have in-depth exchanges of views with all parties and will take a constructive attitude in the consultations,'' he said, adding that China hopes consensus can be reached as soon as possible.

At the invitation of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing will attend the consultations of the proposal in Geneva this weekend.

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