BEIJING (Reuters) - Vice President Dick Cheney faced further pressure to halt U.S. arms sales to Taiwan in meetings with China's communist leaders, who say the weapons are encouraging the island's pro-independence forces. Violence in Iraq, trade and the issue of North Korea's nuclear ambitions also loomed large on Cheney's agenda in China, the second stop on a week-long trip to Asia and only his third overseas mission since taking office.
"We believe the relationship is in good shape, that there are many issues to be discussed," Cheney told former president and current head of the military, Jiang Zemin.
In the highest-level visit by a U.S. official to the communist giant since President Bush's trip in early 2002, Cheney reassured Chinese leaders on Tuesday that Washington does not support separation for Taiwan but opposes the use of force to recover the island.
Cheney, a key architect of the Iraq war, was expected to try to win Beijing's support for a consensus on a U.N. role in Iraq after a June 30 transfer of sovereignty. He will also will press China's leaders to jump-start talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear programs.
Taiwan, however, will dominate Cheney's trip, with China increasingly concerned President Chen Shui-bian is pursuing a pro-independence agenda. In comments timed to coincide with Cheney's talks with Chinese leaders, Beijing accused Chen on Wednesday of maliciously provoking the mainland and sabotaging bilateral relations with plans to adopt a new constitution in 2008. But Li Weiyi, a spokesman for the cabinet's policymaking Taiwan Affairs Office, told a news conference that China was committed to peaceful reunification with Taiwan.
| "That's why we have all those missiles pointed at 'em!" |
Taiwan's defense ministry said on Tuesday it planned to finish by June its proposal for a US$15 billion special budget to buy advanced weapons from the United States and counter China's threats to invade. Taiwan says the high-tech weaponry, including anti-missile defenses, submarines and destroyers, are in response to a vast array of missiles China has pointed at the island. Chen says China has 500 missiles aimed at Taiwan as is adding one missile every six days. |