According to a statement issued by the head of the foreign affairs committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), the resolution of the foreign relations committee of the US senate has grossly interfered in China's internal affairs.

The resolution, which supports Taiwan's access into the WHO has disregarded China's sovereignty and seriously violated the basic international norms and the three Sino-US joint communiques, it said. China and Taiwan have been ruled separately since the 1949 civil war. Beijing regards the island, which it has never controlled, as a rebel province to be reunited with the mainland by force if necessary.

The NPC statement said it is known that the WHO is an inter-governmental organisation which is made up of sovereign states, and that Taiwan,as a part of China, is not at all qualified to join the organisation. It pointed out that the US government has affirmed on many occasions that it would adhere to the one China policy and that it would not support the independence of Taiwan, two Chinas, and one China, one Taiwan, nor will it support Taiwan's access into any international organisation that only admits sovereign states.

It said that the move has been detrimental to the improvement and development of Sino-US relations.

"We hope that the US senate, proceeding from the overall situation of Sino-US relations in the next century, will not allow this resolution to be passed," it emphasised.

"We demand that the US government strictly abide by the principles of the three Sino-US joint communiques and relevant commitments of the US side, and explicitly oppose the resolution to facilitate the improvement and development of Sino-US relations," it said.

Meanwhile, the official China daily today came up with a strong editorial, denouncing the USsenate's resolution on Thursday criticising China for its harsh treatment of Falun Gong members.