US, China Provoke Conflict

The Chinese government on Monday sharply criticized the United States for attempting to prevent China's CNOOC from taking over the US oil company Unocal Corp.

After the US House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a resolution urging the Bush administration to block the proposed transaction as a threat to national security, China's Foreign Ministry condemned Congress for injecting politics into what it characterized as a standard business matter.

?CNOOC's bid to take over Unocal is a normal commercial activity between enterprises and should not fall victim to political interference. The development of economic and trade co-operation between China and the United States conforms to the interests of both sides.?