May 25 (Bloomberg) -- China urged U.S. President George W. Bush to veto a proposal in the U.S. Senate to step up military exchanges with Taiwan, which China considers a renegade province that must be reunited with the mainland by force if necessary.

Congressional proposals to sell a military ship to Taiwan and to start education exchanges with officers in the island's armed forces violate an agreement the U.S. government has with China to recognize Taiwan as part of the mainland, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said.

``The U.S. Congress's Defense Authorization Act as well as the amendments of the U.S. Senate are hostile to China,'' he said. ``We urge the U.S. administrative authority to clearly show its opposition to the clauses and the amendment, and to take measures to prevent them becoming law.''

The U.S., which recognizes China's sovereignty over Taiwan, is the island's main defense ally and weapons supplier. China opposes weapons sales to the island, saying this encourages Taiwan to seek formal independence rather than reunification.

Taiwan has been ruled separately from China since 1949, when Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists fled there after losing a civil war to Mao Zedong's Communists. China deems reunification with Taiwan as central to the country's foreign policy.

To contact the reporter on this story: Rob Delaney in Beijing at robdelaney@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: May 25, 2004 04:42 EDT