, the Chinese defense minister, gave the assurance during talks with Cohen and other senior U.S. officials in Cohen's first visit to Beijing since China broke off military relations with the United States last year in response to the errant U.S. bombing of its embassy in Yugoslavia. A senior U.S. official told reporters that Chi ``indicated they have no intent to use force'' against Taiwan, the island which split from the mainland in the 1949 communist revolution. The official discussed Chi's comments from the closed-door meeting on condition that he not be identified.
Joseph Prueher, the U.S. ambassador, told reporters after the meeting that the Chinese delegation was approaching the sensitive subject of Taiwan in a more positive manner than in the past. He said that they were willing to discuss more than just the core issue of reunification with Taiwan.
``This is a shift in a willingness to resolve differences,'' Prueher said.
At a signing ceremony for an accord on sharing information about military-related environmental protection measures, Chi was asked by a reporter why China has been building up its force of ballistic missiles within range of Taiwan.
``This is entirely China's own business,'' he replied, after reiterating China's view that although Taiwan could retain a noncommunist form of government it must become part of a single, sovereign China.
``On Taiwan our policy is all too clear,'' Chi told reporters. ``It is a policy of peaceful reunification and one country, two systems. We have also made it very clear that we do not undertake to give up the use of force.''
In his comments to reporters Chi did not say China has no intention of using force against Taiwan.
``No matter what happens, the one-China principle will always be there,'' Chi said. He took issue with the premise that China is building up its ballistic missile force near the Taiwan Strait, calling it ``an exaggeration of the facts.''
U.S. officials have said China has been adding about 50 shorter-range ballistic missiles a year to the coastline opposite Taiwan.
Speaking to reporters after an initial round of talks, Cohen said, ``I did mention the fact that I thought there could be a reduction in tensions by a reduction in the missile threat itself.'' He said he told Chi that the greater the missile threat to Taiwan, the more Congress will press for U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.
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