The US plan to participate in Taiwan's military exercises would damage the country's relations with China, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

"We have read relevant reports from the media and I want to point out here that any kind of military cooperation or exchanges between Taiwan and the US is a violation of the three Sino-US joint communiques and also damages China-US relations,'' ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said.

China Times, a local newspaper in Taiwan, reported last week that the US military will participate in Taiwan's annual military drills later this year for the first time in 20 years.

The newspaper quoted an unidentified Taiwanese military source as saying that officers from the US Pacific Command will be in the Taiwanese military command centre in Taipei during the drills, called "HanKuang-19'' military exercises.

"The Chinese side has already made solemn representations to the US side urging it to abide by its commitments made to the Chinese side on the question of Taiwan and stop any military exchange with Taiwan,'' Zhang said.

When asked to comment on the report that two US aviation giants -- Boeing and Hughes -- provided China with sensitive technology on inter-continental ballistic missiles, Zhang said that it was unnecessary and impossible for the Chinese side to gain satellite rocket and missile technology from US companies.

"We think accusations that US companies inappropriately transferred technology to China by their use of Chinese carrier rockets are not consistent with reality and are ridiculous,'' Zhang said.

The US State Department recently laid 123 charges against Boeing Satellite Systems and Hughes Electronics Corp for allegedly passing sensitive technology to China in the 1990s, violating export controls and restrictions.

The companies have denied any wrongdoing in the case.

Turning to the Iraq issue, Zhang said that China insisted on a diplomatic and political solution to the issue within the framework of the United Nations (UN).

Zhang indicated that currently inspectors from two relevant organizations of the UN were continuing their work in Iraq, noting that the inspection was being carried out in line with UN Security Council requirements and Iraq had given its full cooperation.

"And then the Security Council should draw its conclusions based on the inspectors' report,'' Zhang said.

(China Daily January 8, 2002)