China yesterday urged the United States to honour its commitment to recognize Tibet as a part of China and not support "Tibet independence.''

Kong Quan

"We have lodged our representation to the US side,'' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said at a news conference responding to the Dalai Lama's three-week visit to the US, which began yesterday.

The Dalai Lama is not simply a religious figure but a political exile who has long been committed to separatist activities, Kong said.

He said the US has repeatedly acknowledged to China that Tibet is a part of China and the US will not support Tibet's independence and will not allow the Dalai Lama to conduct separatist activities in the US.

Noting the importance of mutual high-level exchanges between China and the United States, Kong said the two nations are still in consultation over upcoming visits by Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice-President Dick Cheney.

When asked to comment on the United States' nuclear proliferation security initiative, Kong said China considers consultation and dialogue the best way to prevent proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and maintain common security

The spokesman said participants at the recent six-party talks in Beijing reached consensus that no one should take any action that might escalate current tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

"We understand the related country's concern over the proliferation of weapons of mass destructive but we hope it can take a prudent attitude,'' Kong said.

Turning to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, Kong said China attaches much importance to the treaty because it has great significance on the prevention of nuclear proliferation and the promotion of disarmament.

The Chinese Government has signed the treaty and submitted it to the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature, for ratification.

In response to a question on the spread of AIDS in some areas in Central China's Henan Province, Kong said the central government has demanded the local administration make thorough rectification of blood collection stations.

"The fast spread of HIV/AIDS in some areas of Henan in previous years has been contained but the result is serious,'' Kong said.

The central government had allocated special funding every year to Henan to treat local patients and taken every possible measure to prevent the disease from further spread, according to the spokesman.

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