BEIJING, July 31 (UPI) -- China's president has issued a personal appeal and warning to President Bush against selling arms to Taiwan, the BBC reported Saturday.
Chinese President Hu Jintao phoned Bush Friday to repeat Beijing's determination to never tolerate an independent Taiwan.
Washington is negotiating to sell missiles and other weapons systems worth $18 billion to the island, which China regards as a renegade province.
Hu said Beijing would never allow Taiwan to split from China. At the same time, he said his administration would vigorously pursue a peaceful resolution of the problem.
In response, Bush repeated his unwillingness to accept an independent Taiwan, but did not give ground on the possible sale of military assets to Taipei.
Also Friday China's vice-minister for Taiwan warned China might attack Taiwan by 2008 if its pro-independence president, Chen Shui-bian, pursued plans for constitutional change.
