Senator rejects China missile promise

Smile but talks were decribed as "candid"

Influential US Senator Joseph Biden said after talks with Chinese President Jiang Zemin that they had "agreed to disagree" on whether China was keeping to its commitments on missile proliferation.

The matter was at the top of the US delegation's agenda after fresh allegations this week in a US newspaper that China had sold missile technology to Pakistan despite promising last year not to do so.

History teaches us that cooperation is beneficial for our two countries and confrontation is harmful for both

President Jiang Zemin

China has denied the allegations but Senator Biden said increased weapons proliferation would make a US missile defence system, which China opposes, more likely, and could endanger trade agreements.

Chinese state media reported conciliatory remarks by President Jiang, highlighting "common interests" and the need for China and the US to strengthen "mutual understanding... and cooperation".

But Defence Minister Chi Haotian was also quoted taking a harder line on US arms sales to Taiwan and explicitly opposing American missile defence system plans, which China fears could be used to defend Taiwan.

Senator Biden's trip has also taken in Taiwan

Senator Biden is the Democratic chairman of the US Senate's Foreign Relation's Committee. He advocates engagement with China and has spoken against Republican plans to build a missile defence system unless there is wide international agreement.

Diplomatic relations between the US and China have been warming slowly since a low point a few months ago during a row over an incident involving a US spy plane in which a Chinese pilot died.

Warm words and warnings

Chinese state television quoted President Jiang after the meeting as saying: "Whether... tackling weapons proliferation, environmental degradation or international crime, China and the United States have common interests."

The president said China had kept to its commitments on weapons proliferation, according to Senator Biden.

"We agreed to disagree on that point," he said.

Senator Biden said President Jiang was specifically opposed to North Korea and Iran gaining ballistic misisile technology.

Human rights

Other issues raised included China's judicial system and the treatment of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement. Senator Biden's delegation, which includes three other senators, have already visited Taiwan.

They are due to travel to Beijing for two days of meetings with business leaders and officials, and on Saturday fly to Seoul to meet South Korean President Kim Dae-jung.