From: Stasi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: SCMP: 'Axis of evil' label upsets mainland [ HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------- South China Morning Post 'Axis of evil' label upsets mainland Foreign Ministry finds Bush's language jarring but welcomes strengthening of Sino-US ties AGENCIES Next Story -------------------------------------------------------------------------- China yesterday berated US President George W. Bush for calling North Korea, Iran and Iraq an "axis of evil". "The Chinese side does not advocate using this kind of language in international relations," Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said. Mr Bush said in his State of the Union Address on Tuesday that Iran, Iraq and North Korea were attempting to develop weapons of mass destruction and singled them out as an "axis of evil". Mr Kong said China believed all countries should be treated equally in international affairs. "Otherwise it will damage the atmosphere for seeking solutions to relevant problems and it would not be conducive to world and regional peace and stability," he said. The comments came three weeks before Mr Bush is due to visit Beijing for talks with President Jiang Zemin, who has backed the US-led war on terrorism, launched after the September 11 attacks. Vice-Foreign Minister and former ambassador to the US Li Zhaoxing is scheduled to leave China for the United States today to make preparations for Mr Bush's visit. Observers have expressed doubt that Mr Bush will be able to conduct substantive discussions with his Chinese hosts during his whirlwind two-day stay in Beijing. During the news conference, Mr Kong, however, welcomed another part of Mr Bush's speech - that on strengthening US-China co-operation. But the spokesman repeated Beijing's objection to Washington selling arms to Taiwan and categorically ruled out the need for China and the US to sign a "fourth communique" on Taiwan. Richard Bush, Washington's top diplomat to Taipei, reiterated earlier this week that the US would continue to provide defensive weapons to Taiwan. Mr Kong repeated that any arms sales to Taiwan would violate Washington's commitments to Beijing and the three communiques signed between the two countries. The spokesman was referring to documents signed between China and the US in 1972, 1979 and 1982 that respectively established official relations, detailed Washington's affirmation that Taiwan is a part of China and pronounced the United States' commitment to reduce arms sales to Taiwan. Mr Kong said as long as both Washington and Beijing adhered to these three communiques, the two sides would not need a new one. "We are not in favour of the idea that the three joint communiques are out of date," Mr Kong said. US officials say privately the joint communiques are merely diplomatic documents that do not carry the weight of a formal treaty. Concern has been raised by Taiwan leaders that a fourth communique would put the island at a disadvantage and weaken Taipei's bargaining power in negotiating with Beijing. During his meeting with Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian, Richard Bush reportedly assured his host that Washington had not changed its position on Taiwan. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
