Taiwan's U.N. bid derided by U.S.

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BEIJING — Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte yesterday repeated U.S. opposition to Taiwan's plan to hold a referendum on U.N. membership.

"The conduct of the referendum is a mistake and it is a provocative policy of the Taiwanese authorities," Mr. Negroponte said ahead of two-day high-level talks with Chinese officials that began yesterday.

Taiwan is expected to be at the top of the Chinese agenda for the talks in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province in southwestern China, even though Washington also is keen on winning Beijing's support for a third round of U.N. sanctions against Iran.

The fifth meeting of the "senior strategic dialogue" between Mr. Negroponte and Executive Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo also will touch upon issues such as Chinese military transparency and human rights, plus regional questions such as Sudan and North Korea.

Mr. Negroponte, who arrived in Beijing on Wednesday, met with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.

"Under current circumstances, opposing secessionist activities such as the referendum more firmly is vital for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and overall China-U.S. relations," Mr. Yang told Mr. Negroponte, according to the official People's Daily.

Mr. Wen told Mr. Negroponte that Washington should "properly" deal with sensitive issues such as Taiwan.

The People"s Republic of China considers the island a breakaway province and has repeatedly stated it will go to war before allowing it to become an independent nation.

The United States switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, recognizing "one China," but is obliged by the Taiwan Relations Act to help the island defend itself and is its biggest ally and arms supplier.

"This is an issue that must be dealt with by peaceful means," Mr. Negroponte told reporters.

Chen Shui-bian, Republic of China (Taiwan) president, proposed the referendum in March to decide whether to seek membership in the United Nations as Taiwan.

Mr. Negroponte, reiterating the remarks made by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice last month, said Washington considers the referendum ill-advised.

In Taiwanese legislative elections last week, the opposition Nationalist Party, which favors close ties with Beijing, won a clear majority over Mr. Chen's Democratic Progressive Party. The presidential vote scheduled for March 22 is expected to produce a similar outcome.

On Iran, Mr. Negroponte urged China to back proposed U.N. measures aimed at persuading the Islamic republic to reveal more about its nuclear program, insisting its purported uranium enrichment and missile development programs remain a threat. China repeatedly has opposed new measures. Mr. Negroponte's visit coincided with a trip by Iran's senior nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili.