-Caveat Lector- China Vows Not to Use Nuclear Weapons in Conflict with Taiwan BEIJING (AP) -- While declaring its resolve to retake rival Taiwan by force if necessary, China removed one threat today by promising not to use nuclear weapons in the event of a conflict. The pledge, issued by the Foreign Ministry, was the most explicit, public renunciation of the nuclear option China has ever given Taiwan and suggested a slight easing of their latest tensions. Divided after the Nationalists lost the mainland to Mao Tse-tung's communists in 1949, China and Taiwan long maintained they were both part of a single Chinese nation. While Taiwan has backed away from its claim to China over the past decade, Beijing still regards the island as a rebel province. Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui provoked the latest round of Chinese anger, saying in a radio interview in July that the two sides should deal with each other as separate states. Such a suggestion of parity smacked to Beijing as another move toward outright independence. In July, as the war of nerves heated up, China announced it had developed a neutron bomb and did nothing to dampen media speculation that the announcement served as a warning to Taiwan. When asked by a foreign reporter today whether China would use the neutron bomb against Taiwan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi extended to Taiwan China's 35-year-old promise not to be the first to use nuclear weapons in any conflict. "We will not be the first to use nuclear weapons and will not use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapons countries and regions, let alone against our Taiwan compatriots," Sun said at a news conference. Far from signaling a truce, Sun reiterated that China stood by a threat to use force if Taiwan moves toward independence or foreign forces interfere in attempts to reunify the island and mainland. He implied that China would try to further isolate Taiwan by wresting concessions from the United States at a meeting between leaders of the Asia-Pacific region later this month. Members of China's military and hard-liners in the communist leadership have called for a show of force. The threats have been met by expressions of concern by the United States, which recognizes Beijing's claim to the island but is bound by U.S. law to aid Taiwan's defense. Taiwan is likely to come up at a meeting in Auckland, New Zealand, between Chinese President Jiang Zemin and President Clinton, their first since relations soured over U.S. allegations of Chinese espionage and NATO's bombing of China's embassy in Yugoslavia during the war over Kosovo. When asked about the meeting, Sun, the Chinese spokesman, urged the United States to honor commitments to support Beijing's reunification with Taiwan "with concrete actions." He declined to elaborate, but China has been pressuring the United States to forgo arms sales to the island. Copyright 1999 The Associated Press.All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ================================= Robert F. Tatman [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Remove "nospam" from the address to reply. NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml POSTING THIS MESSAGE TO THE INTERNET DOES NOT IMPLY PERMISSION TO SEND UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL E-MAIL (SPAM) TO THIS OR ANY OTHER INTERNET ADDRESS. RECEIPT OF SPAM WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION OF THE SENDER'S ISP. ____________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
