China Criticizes Gingrich Remark House Speaker Had Pledged That U.S. Would Defend Taiwan If China Invades

China admonished the United States on Thursday to speak with one voice on foreign policy and accused Newt Gingrich of making “improper” statements on America’s commitment to defend Taiwan from any military attack by the mainland.

The criticism was made by the Foreign Ministry spokesman, Shen Guofang, who earlier this week had expressed basic satisfaction with remarks made by Gingrich, the speaker of the House, during a three-day visit to China.

The visit followed Vice President Al Gore’s first trip to Beijing. Both men spoke on issues of contention between Washington and Beijing, but Gingrich’s remarks were noteworthy for their directness and for exceeding the normal State Department formulations on U.S. commitments to Taiwan.

China’s decision to criticize Gingrich came after he led a delegation to Taiwan on Wednesday and met with President Lee Teng-hui.

The United States has only unofficial ties with Taiwan since Washington broke relations in 1979 and recognized Beijing after three decades of estrangement.

The Clinton administration’s decision, under pressure from Congress, to allow Lee to visit the United States in June 1995 touched off a political and military crisis that lasted into 1996.

China considers Taiwan a renegade province and is committed to a program of reunification that is to follow the return of Hong Kong and Macao to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 and 1999 respectively.

China has refused to renounce the use of force in seeking reunification, largely out of concern that that would only encourage pro-independence forces on Taiwan to declare a permanent separate status for the island of 21 million people.

While in Taipei, Gingrich publicly elaborated on a pledge he first made in Shanghai last weekend.

Speaking at the American Institute in Taiwan, Washington’s “unofficial” embassy there, Gingrich said, “It is important to be explicit with both the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan that should Beijing seek to reunify Taiwan with the mainland by force or intimidation, the United States will use all means necessary to prevent it.”