China voiced its opposition to the launch of negotiations over a trade agreement between the Taiwan region and the United States, urging the US to avoid negotiating or concluding any official agreement with the region.

The US must not send any erroneous signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces under the pretext of economy and trade, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Thursday, after the US announced that it will commence "formal negotiations "with the region over the "Initiative on 21st Century Trade" this fall.

The one-China principle is the prerequisite for China's Taiwan region to take part in international economic cooperation, and China is consistently opposed to any country negotiating or concluding any trade agreement with the region with implications for sovereignty and of an official nature, Wang said.

The US should take concrete action to observe the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, Wang said, urging it to cut official exchanges in any form with Taiwan and "not to repeat its mistakes".

"China will take firm measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We call on the US not to miscalculate," he said.

Expressing China's firm opposition to the launch of the negotiations, the Ministry of Commerce's spokeswoman Shu Jueting said on Thursday the Taiwan question is the most important and sensitive issue at the very heart of China-US relations.

Shu urged the US to fulfill its leader's commitment of not supporting "Taiwan independence "and fully respect China's core interests by cautiously handling its economic and trade relations with Taiwan.

"This is a matter of the big picture of China-US ties and China-US trade, as well as a matter of world peace, stability and prosperity," said Shu, adding that China will take necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests.

Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, said the US will fail in trying to play the "Taiwan card" to hold back China's reunification and national rejuvenation.

wangqingyun@chinadaily.com.cn