China values the commitment of the United States Government to play a constructive role in the peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question, the country's top military leader said yesterday.

Stressing Taiwan as the most important and sensitive question in Sino-US relations, Jiang Zemin, chairman of the Central Military Commission said the mainland will adhere to a "peaceful reunification, and one country, two systems."

Jiang made his remarks when meeting yesterday with visiting top uniformed American, General Richard Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the armed forces.

US President George W. Bush delivered a public rebuke to Taipei last month, during a visit to the White House by Premier Wen Jiabao.

"The comments and actions made by the leader of Taiwan indicate that he may be willing to make decisions unilaterally to change the status quo, which we oppose,'' Bush said, referring to the Taiwan authorities"plan of "defensive referendum"aims at splitting up Taiwan from China.

Jiang told Myers at the meeting: "We will make all efforts to achieve reunification with Taiwan by peaceful means, and will not allow Taiwan's independence."

Jiang said Sino-US relations maintain good momentum, and the two sides should deal with their relationship from a strategic and long-term viewpoint, expand consensus, reduce differences, and solve problems to push forward a healthy and stable bilateral relationship.

At yesterday's press conference, Myers said the United States has a very good understanding on the Taiwan question, and the Chinese viewpoint.

Myers described the talks as "very beneficial"and said his team was "making good progress in military-to-military relationship"building with China.

According to Myers, the two militaries will hold defence consultative talks February 11-12. Apart from port calls, General Liang Guanglie, chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army, will also visit the US later this year.

Myers said his talks with Chinese military officials also covered the Korean Peninsula and international terrorism.

"There is consensus that a nuclear-free peninsula is the shared goal of China and the United States,"said Myers. He said each military agreed to fight terrorism.

Myers arrived in Beijing on Monday as the top military officer to visit China since the mid-air collision of a US scout plane EP-3 with a Chinese fighter in 2001.

(China Daily 01/16/2004 page1)