China today angrily rejected the US Central Intelligence Agency's warning that China could pose a threat to US interests in Taiwan. latest "China threat" assessment and said that Beijing's [Images] "peaceful rise" in the global arena was conducive for regional peace and prosperity.

Reacting to the new Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Porter Goss's warning yesterday that China's military build-up could tilt the strategic balance with Taiwan and also threaten US forces in Asia, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said, "I have taken note of the relevant reports."

"Facts have proven that China's peaceful development provides opportunity for peace and development for the region as well as the world at large and has been accepted by the international community," Kong said.

India and China: a comparison

"Currently, those who are creating tensions in the Asia-Pacific are the independence forces in Taiwan. So, I hope that senior US officials should have an objective evaluation of cross-Straits relations and the situation in Taiwan Straits and abide by the three joint communique and the one China policy," he said.

"They should not send any wrong signals to Taiwan independence forces so as to work together to maintain peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region."

The China syndrome 

Goss, who took over as CIA director in September, told the Senate Intelligence Committee yesterday that "Beijing's military modernisation and build-up could tilt the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait."

"If Beijing decides that Taiwan is taking steps toward permanent separation that exceeds Beijing's tolerance, we assess China is prepared to respond with varying levels of force," Goss told the committee while assessing the main security threats to the United States.

China views Taiwan as a rebel province that must be reunified with the mainland, even by force. In recent months, Beijing has stepped up warnings to Taiwan about moves by the island's pro-independence-minded government to seek separation.

Washington remains the leading arms supplier to Taiwan despite switching diplomatic recognition to China in 1979. Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the US is obliged to offer the island a means of self-defence if its security is threatened.

China also criticised a bipartisan resolution introduced in the US House of Representatives, demanding resumption of diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

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Tom Tancredo, a Republican lawmaker, said the United States should scrap its 'one China' policy in which Washington recognises Beijing's position that Taiwan is part of China. Kong said that he has taken note of the resolution submitted by a handful of US lawmakers, who wanted to create obstacles in Sino-US relations. 

The move amounted to "gross interference" in China's internal affairs and sent a wrong signal to the pro-independence forces in Taiwan, and "China is dissatisfied with the move."