China expressed strong indignation at the recent convening of the US-Taiwan Defense Conference in the United States, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan in Beijing on Saturday.

The defense conference, an annual event, was held recently in the US state of Arizona. During the meeting, US Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Asian-Pacific Affairs Richard Lawless reportedly urged Taiwan to approve a special budget for a US arms deal.

"The United States persisted in holding such a conference with Taiwan, regardless of China's firm opposition, and the US official referred to so-called military threat from the Chinese mainland to Taiwan and urged Taiwan to purchase weapons from the US," Kong noted.

China has lodged a "solemn representation" with the US concerning the matter, he said.

Kong said that the holding of such a conference and the language Lawless used seriously violated the commitment reiterated many times by the US government to adhere to the one-China policy and the three Sino-US Joint Communiqués and to oppose Taiwan independence.

Such actions are detrimental to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, Kong stated.

Kong said China strongly urges the US to recognize the harmfulness of its "wrong practice," to eliminate the negative effects of this practice, to end military ties with and stop weapons sales to Taiwan and not to send wrong signals to the Taiwan independence forces, so as to avoid harming Sino-US relations.

China has also lodged "solemn representations" to the US for allowing the Formosan Association of Public Affairs to host a seminar on Capitol Hill on Taiwan's "constitutional reform" over China's firm objections.

During the seminar, the US "allowed Lee Teng-hui, a chief Taiwan independence separatist, to spread separatist remarks," Kong said.

The action also violated the longstanding commitments of the US to China.

"This behavior also sent dangerous signals to the Taiwan independence forces. China firmly opposes such behavior and has lodged serious representations with the US," stated Kong.

He pointed out that separatist activities are the biggest threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

(Xinhua News Agency October 10, 2004)