"The US is committed to helping Taiwan maintain its ability to resist the use of force or coercion to solve this problem," chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Myers told journalists as he wrapped up a two-day visit to China during which he met the country's top military brass.

"And it is not just a one-sided issue," he said when questioned by Chinese journalists on US arms sales to the island.

"In fact, if you look at the build-up on the Chinese mainland side of the (Taiwan) Straits in terms of surface-to-surface missiles you would see a very large build-up. And China continues to build up its capability opposite Taiwan.

"Our responsibility under the Taiwan Relations Act is to assist Taiwan in its ability to defend itself. Again, so there will be a peaceful resolution to the problem and no temptation to use force."

The United States is Taiwan's main weapons supplier.

Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian plans to hold the island's first ever referendum alongside presidential polls on March 20, demanding Beijing remove hundreds of ballistic missiles targeting the island.

Last month, US President George W. Bush publicly rebuked Chen's plan and Myers repeated the stance Thursday, but also warned China the US would not stand by if it used force.

"President Bush could not have been clearer when he was speaking to Premier Wen (Jiabao) that the US will resist any attempts to use coercion to solve the problem between China and Taiwan," said Myers.

"Again I think all three parties in this case understand that very thoroughly."

Taipei has repeatedly assured Washington that the referendum has nothing to do with independence and is a symbol of Taiwan's full-fledged democracy.

Beijing nevertheless has repeatedly warned it will use military force against Taiwan, which it sees as a rebel province, if it declares independence and in recent months has stepped up the rhetoric, branding Chen "selfish" and "immoral".

Washington has observed the One-China policy since it switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979. It also insists cross-strait disputes must be resolved through peaceful means.

All rights reserved. Copyright 2003 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.

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