China urged the United States Monday to scrap its Taiwan Relations Act, 25 years after Congress passed the law that requires the US to defend Taiwan if the island is attacked.
"The so-called Taiwan Relations Act, enacted unilaterally by the United States, has infringed on China's sovereignty and interfered in China's internal affairs," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said in a statement on the ministry's website.
"The United States ... should end the implementation of the Taiwan Relations Act and not send the wrong message to 'Taiwan independence' forces, so as not to harm peace across the Taiwan Straits and the steady development of Sino-US relations," said Kong.
Kong's statement came the day before US Vice-President Dick Cheney was scheduled to visit China, where Beijing was expected to focus on the Taiwan issue.
The Taiwan Relations Act was passed on April 10, 1979, when former US president Jimmy Carter established diplomatic relations with China and agreed to deal with Taiwan and the mainland under the "one China principle".
The mainland views Taiwan as a renegade province and has vowed to reunify the island - by force if necessary and particularly if it declares independence.
China regarded with dismay last month's re-election of independence-leaning Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian.
Kong's statement was in response to a US State Department spokesman who Friday said that the US was "strongly committed" to fulfilling its obligations under the act, which also include advance weapon sales to Taiwan.
"The Taiwan Relations Act has made a vital contribution to ensuring peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and provides a strong framework to help ensure Taiwan's security," department spokesman Adam Ereli said.
"The people of Taiwan can count on the United States to pursue a steady and constructive policy toward East Asia and the Taiwan Strait area."