In a wide-ranging phone conversation Monday, China's Foreign Minister and the US Secretary of State discussed the beating of a Tianjin woman, the Taiwan issue and the crisis in Darfur.

Speaking with Secretary of State Collin Powell Monday, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing called on US authorities to thoroughly investigate the assault on a Chinese businesswoman who was pepper-sprayed and beaten by a US border inspector.

Li said those responsible should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Zhao Yan, a Tianjin businesswoman travelling to the US on business, was involved in an altercation with border inspector Robert Rhodes on Wednesday near the US-Canadian border on Niagara Falls.

Powell promised to look into the case.

Taiwan Question

On the Taiwan question, Li emphasized that a country's national sovereignty and territorial integrity are primordial and urged the United States to fulfill its commitment to the one-China policy.

Powell responded that the United States would not support any moves towards Taiwan independence, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry source.

The conversation was held one day after a visit by Admiral Thomas Fargo, commander-in-chief of the Pacific Command of the United States Armed Forces.

Fargo concluded a four-day China tour on Sunday during which he met with General Liang Guanglie, chief of the general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and Li.

The United States, considered an important outside factor in the way of peaceful reunification, is now trying to press Taipei to avoid any unilateral change to the straits status quo, observers say. The main negotiation tools are close contacts and arms sales.

At the same time, Washington is enhancing strategic coordination with Beijing on the issue.
 
Wang Jin-pyng, president of Taiwan's "Legislative Yuan," and 13 other "legislators" visited the United States last month and held talks with some senior officials including Fargo.

In a move rarely seen since 1979, the US host arranged a number of activities for the visitors, including high-level meetings and visits to military installations.

Earlier this month, just a couple of days after Wang's visit, US National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice paid a 24-hour visit to Beijing.

During Monday's conversation, Powell said the United States will handle Taiwan-related issues "cautiously," the Foreign Ministry source said.

Asia-based analysts said that although Sino-US ties are "good in general" and are even at their "best" since President Nixon's visit in 1972, the situation across the Taiwan Straits is "much more tense."

The mainland's military is currently holding an exercise in Dongshan of Fujian Province. At the same time Taiwan also practised landing fighter jets on a highway for the first time in 26 years, as a part of its annual drill named "Han Kuang."

The US side has also been conducting exercises in the western Pacific, as part of worldwide maneuvers involving deployment of carrier strike groups. The exercise dubbed Summer Pulse 2004 began in early June and is expected to wrap up in August.

Darfur Conflict

Powell also briefed Li on the US stance on the Sudan issue and said he hoped the United Nations Security Council will take concerted action on it.

Li said China is very concerned with the Darfur conflict in Sudan and hopes that the UN Security Council will listen more to the voices of Sudanese people, the African Union and the League of Arab States so as to take measures that are helpful for an appropriate solution.

(China Daily, July 27, 2004)