China irate over U.S. foreign affairs bill

BEIJING, May 19 (UPI) -- A new U.S. foreign relations bill dealing with Taiwan and Tibet drew charges from China of interference in its internal affairs.

Speaking to reporters in Beijing Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu attacked the proposal -- the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 and 2011 -- which Rep. Howard Berman, chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced last week.

China's objection relates to a section of the bill proposing giving grants to groups that protect Tibetan culture and history, Xinhua reported. The report said the bill also devoted some clauses to Hong Kong and Taiwan.

"China resolutely rejected the U.S. act and made solemn representations with the United States," Ma said.

Although China and Taiwan have had separate governments for six decades, the communist country has never relinquished its sovereign claims over Taiwan. Hong Kong is now part of China. Tibet has been under Chinese control for about 60 years.

Ma said the U.S. act violated the basic principles guiding the international relations and the commitments made by the U.S. side.

"It meddled in China's domestic issues of Taiwan, Tibet and Hong Kong," he said.