Beijing: China today (Jul 8, 2004) told the United States that it will "never sit by and watch" Taiwan gain independence and expressed strong dissatisfaction over Washington's continued sale of advanced weapons to Taipei.

"If the Taiwan authority go their own way towards Taiwan independence, and if the foreign forces step in, we will never sit by and watch," Chairman of the Chinese Central Military Commission (CMC), Jiang Zemin told visiting US National Security Advisor, Condoleezza Rice.

China will adhere to the basic principle of peaceful reunification and "one country, two systems", but will never tolerate Taiwan independence; he was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua news agency.

China views Taiwan as a rebel province that must be reunified with the mainland, even by force.

Jiang stressed that the Taiwan question is the most vital and most sensitive issue in Sino-US relations.

The US sides recent activities on the Taiwan issue, especially its plans to sell advanced weapons to Taiwan made Chinese people "deeply concerned and dissatisfied", he said.

The Chinese people long for peace and do not want war, Jiang said, adding that Taiwan independence will never be tolerated.