BEIJING, Aug 28: China said on Wednesday it opposed the use of force against Iraq and repeated its call for a solution through the United Nations, as Washington stepped up its war rhetoric.

Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan made the remarks, repeating a long-standing position, during a meeting with visiting Iraqi counterpart Naji Sabri.

“Using force or threats of force is unhelpful in solving the Iraq issue and will increase regional instability and tensions,” the official Xinhua news agency quoted Tang as saying.

“The sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Iraq should also be respected,” Tang said.

He also stressed the Iraq issue should be resolved by diplomatic means within the framework of the United Nations, including Iraqi compliance with Security Council resolutions, it said.

In a meeting with Sabri in Beijing’s government compound, Chinese Vice-Premier Qian Qichen said China was concerned about the issue and did not agree with the use of force against Iraq, state-run Xinhua news agency said.

“China does not agree with the practice of using force or threatening to use force to resolve this issue,” Xinhua quoted Qian as saying.

Washington has renewed talk of war to topple Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, alleging he is developing weapons of mass destruction which could be used by terrorists.

Diplomats said China has long preferred to see tensions like the Iraqi crisis resolved within an international framework rather than unilaterally.

Beijing was also keen to ensure US action did not open the door to potential interference in its own backyard, one diplomat said.

“If the US goes and does it anyway, it could set a precedent,” the diplomat said. “All bets would be off for Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet and Central Asia. The US could come in.”

But Beijing was above all trying to maintain a delicate balancing act, defending an Arab nation while muting criticism of the United States, a key economic partner with which it needs a good working relationship, the diplomat said.

US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said in China this week he had made clear in meetings with Chinese leaders that Washington had made no decision on an invasion. Armitage and Chinese officials were working on preparations for an October Sino-US summit.

China is not expected to have any significant bearing on a US decision on Iraq unless Washington decided to go through the U.N., where Beijing has the power of veto as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

LONG-STANDING TIES: Beijing has long had military and commercial ties with Iraq.