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China urges world to accept it will absorb Taiwan

MUNICH: China urged the world on Sunday to accept its goal of absorbing Taiwan along the lines of its unification with Hong Kong and Macau - or else risk consequences "you don't want to see".

Speaking at a security conference in Munich, Germany, a senior Chinese official said it would be wrong for the United States to encourage recalcitrance among leaders in Taiwan by promising military support.

"One China, two systems was a success story," Wang Guangya, Beijing's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, told an international audience of defence ministers, top military brass and defence analysts.

"Sending the wrong messages to the leaders in Taiwan might lead to a result you don't want to see," Wang added, without elaborating.

China has warned that the risk of war with Taiwan, which it regards as a renegade province, has risen after the U.S. House of Representatives supported legislation to provide more military training and support to Taipei.

The White House has warned Congress against passing the legislation, saying it could increase tensions as Taiwan prepares for presidential elections in March.

U.S.-China tensions last peaked in 1996 when Washington sent two aircraft carrier groups as China conducted missile tests off the island during Taiwan's last presidential vote.

Wang also expressed "deep apprehension" over plans by the United States to develop an anti-missile defence system designed to defend against attacks launched by hostile states.

"This move will undoubtedly inflict severe damage on global strategic balance and stability, undermine the international security environment, make it difficult to carry on the international non-proliferation regime and may even trigger a new round of the arms race," Wang warned.

ASIAN SECURITY RISKS HIGHLIGHTED

Wang's comments highlighted the risks to international stability which have grown in Asia while NATO has focused on learning the lessons of last year's Kosovo conflict and cementing stability in Europe.

Relations between India and Pakistan, both now nuclear powers, remain tense after recent fighting in the disputed territory of Kashmir.

Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous country, has become a powder keg after the toppling of President Suharto led to the "ethnic cleansing" of East Timor by pro-government forces.

Isolated countries like North Korea are also seen by the United States as posing a potential threat of nuclear blackmail as they seek to develop ballistic missile systems.

"For America and Europe, the threat of missiles from rogue nations is substantial and growing," U.S. Defence Secretary William Cohen told the conference on Saturday.

"We never want to be in the position of being blackmailed by anyone posing a threat to our national security interests," Cohen added, defending U.S. plans to move ahead with its Star Wars-style missile defence programme.

President Bill Clinton is expected to decide in July whether to begin deploying a $12 billion system of interceptor missiles based in Alaska or await further development work following the failure of a test launch last month.-Reuters