China, U.S. vow candid talks on Taiwan

Qian and Powell vow a frank diplomacy on U.S. arms sales to Taiwan

WASHINGTON -- United States and Chinese officials have vowed to hold an open discussion that could overcome strong differences on planned U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.

"As long as both sides can stand on higher ground and be visionary ... I'm sure China-U.S. relations will enjoy a healthy and steady growth," said Vice Premier Qian Qichen, in the first high-level visit of a Chinese official to Washington since 1998.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said that the key to understanding on such a provocative issue would be "candid talks on every aspect of our agreement and disagreement."

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China opposes the sale of arms to what it considers its renegade province, since a civil war split them up in 1949.

China did not rule out a "military solution" if the U.S. decides in April to fulfil Taiwan's wish list, which includes four destroyers equipped with the Aegis anti-missile radar system.

The U.S. supports a one-China policy but refuses to consult with Beijing on the issue.

It will conduct in April its annual review on which arms to sell Taiwan under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act.

The Carter administration had helped craft the pact as a diplomatic balm after it renewed ties with Beijing.

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But China is citing a 1982 agreement wherein the U.S. pledged not to sell more or advanced arms to Taiwan. The U.S. says the deal is under review.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is expected to stress an agreement China made last November to cease its sale of arms to other countries, and seek more information on a 17-percent increase in China's military spending.

U.S. analysts say that despite Bush's hard-line stance, his administration is -- like Clinton's -- likely to defer Taiwan's request for arms.

Other key issues

Qian called possible arms sales to Taiwan "the most important and sensitive issue in China-U.S. relations."

But how long Qian's and Powell's diplomatic statements would hold also depended on a broader range of issues.

China and the U.S., both members of the United Nations Security Council, are also likely to discuss concerns on human rights in China, the U.S.'s planned missile defense shield, and other global issues like Iraq.

The U.S. is likely to seek condemnation of China in a U.N. meeting in Geneva next month, after having issued a report on the deteriorating observance of human rights in China.

The report emphasized Beijing's crackdown on members of the Falun Gong spiritual group.

The human rights issue has also spurred U.S. lawmakers to lobby against China's bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games.

At the U.S. State Department, a U.S.-based protest group rallied against Qian, saying he "represents a brutal regime which denies fundamental rights to the Tibetan people."

Reuters contributed to this report.

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