China is strongly against any official contact between Taiwan and countries with diplomatic ties to China, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Kong Quan said in Beijing on September 3.
However, China does not oppose non-governmental economic, trade and cultural exchanges between them, Kong said at a routine press conference while commenting on Taiwan's announcement that it and Mongolia would mutually set up representative offices.
China has always hoped that all countries with diplomatic relations with China will abide by their commitment to the "one China" policy, Kong said.
Although not objecting the non-governmental exchanges in trade and cultural fields between those countries and Taiwan, China strongly opposes any kind of formal relations or contacts of official nature between them, Kong said, urging those countries to "carefully handle relevant issues.?
China also opposes attempts by the Taiwan authorities to develop official relations in the international arena by any means, and even to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency September 4, 2002)
