John Negroponte, designated as the State Department's No 2 official, said on Tuesday there was a "distinct possibility" that a proposed new constitution for Taiwan would be at "cross purposes" with the one-China policy of the United States.

Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian said last Friday that the island should "act now" in drawing up a new constitution because otherwise it "cannot be called a normal, complete and progressive new democracy."

Negroponte, deputy secretary of state, was asked about Chen's comment during his Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing.

After reaffirming support for the one-China policy of the United States, he said it would be "unwise to do anything that might be at cross purposes" with any of the three US-China communiques that govern bilateral relations.

Asked by Senator Lisa Murkowski whether a new constitution would be at cross purposes with US policy, Negroponte said: "I would want to study the implications but it certainly strikes me that that would be a distinct possibility."

Negroponte said he expects to pick up the high level dialogue with China that was begun by former Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick, who resigned last spring.

"I think we need to engage China," Negroponte said. "I think we - on all levels. And I think that ought to be our approach to that country; not one of confrontation, but engagement."

Source: China Daily/Agencies