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China makes Taiwan plea to Obama | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
China's government has urged America's new president-elect, Barack Obama, to oppose independence for Taiwan. | |
A foreign ministry spokesman said the issue was key to good relations. | |
The demand comes after Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou held a brief but historic meeting with a senior Chinese envoy in the Taiwanese capital, Taipei. | |
But the meeting was vehemently opposed by thousands of protesters, who object to the closer trade and economic ties agreed in a deal this week. | |
Taiwan has been ruled separately since the end of the Chinese civil in 1949; the defeated Kuomintang retreated to Taiwan to create a self-governing entity. | |
But Beijing sees the island as a breakaway province which should be reunified, by force if necessary. | |
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Riot police struggle to control anti-Beijing protesters in Taipei | |
'Stop selling weapons' | |
"We urge the United States to honour its commitment... honour the one-China policy and stop selling weapons to Taiwan," ministry spokesman Qin Gang told journalists in Beijing, after being asked to comment on US-China relations following Mr Obama's election win. | |
Mr Chen and President Ma exchanged a painting of a horse and a vase"Judging from the development of bilateral relations in the past years, the Taiwan issue is the most sensitive issue." | |
It has already been US policy to uphold the one-China principle which sees Taiwan as part of mainland China. | |
But it is such an important issue to the Chinese that they take every opportunity to restate it - and to ask others to restate it - says a BBC China correspondent Chris Hogg. | |
Earlier this year, one of the president-elect's senior foreign policy advisers made clear there were no plans for the Obama administration to change tack on this issue, he adds. | |
Last month the Bush administration told Congress it planned to sell more than $6bn (£3.8bn) worth of weapons to Taipei - prompting a furious reaction from China, and the subsequent cancellation of some some military and diplomatic exchanges, according to US officials. | |
Mr Qin's remarks come amid a five-day visit to Taiwan by Chen Yunlin, the most senior Communist Chinese official to visit the island since 1949. | |
In the future both sides should see the reality and should not deny each other's existence Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou Earlier in the week, Mr Chen agreed a landmark deal to improve direct trade and transport links, and on Thursday, he held a short but historic meeting with President Ma. | |
The two made a few cordial remarks as they exchanged gifts - a painting of a horse for President Ma (whose name sounds like "horse" in Chinese), and a ceramic vase for Mr Chen. | |
But Mr Chen's avoidance of the term "president" when addressing Mr Ma - a term Beijing considers would suggest Taiwan's independence - infuriated protesters gathered outside the government guesthouse where they met. | |
Fears for jobs | |
"This shows that China is only treating Taiwan like a local government," said Chang Bang-ni, a middle-aged businesswoman demonstrating outside. | |
Some protesters also voiced fears that closer economic ties with China could mean jobs lost on the island to the cheaper market on the other side of the Taiwanese Straits. | |
President Ma says this week's deal "symbolises a major step forward for cross-strait ties," and will "contribute to cross-strait stability and prosperity". | |
"But we cannot deny that differences and challenges still exist, such as Taiwan's security and Taiwan's position in the international community," he said in comments broadcast live. | |
"In the future, both sides should see the reality and should not deny each other's existence in order to promote the welfare of the people and cross-strait peace and to resolve our differences." | |
Mr Chen's visit has attracted daily protests since it began on Monday, and thousands of police have been deployed to ensure his safety. | |
On Wednesday night, crowds mobbed the hotel in which Mr Chen was eating, preventing him from leaving the building until well after midnight. | |
Last month, his deputy Zhang Mingqing was knocked to the ground by protesters during a visit. |