China on Tuesday pledged to work with the United States to further promote a long-term, sound and stable development of the bilateral constructive and cooperative relations.
"The Sino-U.S. relations are at an important stage of inheriting the past and ushering in the future. Sound and growing relations will not only accord with the fundamental interest of the two peoples, but also conducive to the world peace, stability and development," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said at a regular press conference.
She made the remarks as answering questions related to U.S. President-elect Barack Obama who will take oath of office as the new president today.
She called on the two countries to view and handle the bilateral relations from a long-term and strategic perspective, keep strengthening dialogue, exchanges and cooperation, respect and take into concern each other's core interest, so as to push forward a long-term, healthy and stable development of Sino-U.S. relations.
The spokesperson also urged the U.S. side to cancel arms sales to Taiwan, saying China's stance on this issue is clear and consistent.
The United States has the obligation to observe the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques, especially the "August 17 Communique" in 1982, in which the United States agreed to gradually reduce its arms sales to Taiwan, Jiang said.
She said the United States should stop arms sales to Taiwan and their military communication, handle the Taiwan issue prudently and properly, and support the peaceful development of the cross-strait relations with concrete actions.
Since the Pentagon announced a Taiwan arms deal of 6.5 billion U.S. dollars last October, which included 30 Apache attack helicopters and 330 Patriot missiles, China curtailed some military exchanges with the United States. It was the biggest arms sale to Taiwan since China and the United States signed the "August 17 Communique" in 1982.
(Xinhua News Agency January 20, 2009)