US urges Taiwan, China not to be provocative

The US voiced the concern after a senior official from the defacto US embassy in Taiwan visited legislators of the Democratic Progressive Party, the independence-leaning party with which President Chen Shui-bian is affiliated.

Details of Tuesday's closed-door discussions were not available. The meeting follows a threat by Chen late last month to introduce an "anti-annexation" law and possibly hold a referendum if China enacts its controversial legislation.

"We continue to call on both sides to refrain from statements and actions that impede a peaceful resolution of cross-strait differences," said Dana Smith, spokeswoman for the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the US mission in Taipei.