Special envoy visits US, One China reiterated

Chinese Government Special Envoy Dai Bingguo met with several high-level US officials late last week in Washington and received assurances of a continued US commitment to the one-China policy.

From Wednesday to Friday, Dai, also vice-minister of foreign affairs, met in Washington with US Secretary of State Colin Powell, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld, and held talks with US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.

Dai comprehensively expounded China's firm stance on the Taiwan question, stressing that national sovereignty and territorial integrity are China's core interest.

The special envoy urged the United States to keep its promises and not to assist Taiwan separatists, particularly not to sell weapons to Taiwan, said the report.

The American side said it understands the sensitivity of the Taiwan question, and reiterated that it will constantly pursue a one-China policy, abide by three Sino-US Communiques, oppose "Taiwan independence" and any unilateral action that may change Taiwan's current status.

The two sides discussed the implementation of the agreements reached between Chinese President Hu Jintao and US President George W. Bush during their meeting in Santiago, Chile, last month, and exchanged views on Iraq issues as well as the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

Both agreed smooth development of Sino-US relations in the next four years is of vital importance.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Saturday that Pyongyang is not in a hurry to resume the six-party talks on the country's nuclear activities, saying it wants to establish a "peace mechanism" with the five other parties involved while discussing nuclear issues on the Korean Peninsula.