He added that China's definition of its "territory" includes warships and aircraft, according to a report in the Financial Times.

"If the Americans are determined to interfere, we will be determined to respond," said the general, who is also a professor at China's National Defense University.

"We will prepare ourselves for the destruction of all of the cities east of Xian. Of course, the Americans will have to be prepared that hundreds of cities will be destroyed by the Chinese."

Gen. Zhu said his views did not represent official Chinese policy. And some U.S.-based China experts said he probably did not represent the mainstream People's Liberation Army view.

But his threat to use nuclear weapons in a conflict over Taiwan is the most specific by a senior Chinese official in nearly a decade, the Financial Times reported.

The general's remarks came as the Pentagon is preparing to brief Congress on the Chinese military next week.

The comments could add to tensions with Washington at a time of U.S. worries about China's military buildup and the proposed takeover of the oil company Unocal Corp. by a Chinese state-run company.

China exploded its first nuclear weapon in 1964 and has an arsenal of missiles that can carry nuclear warheads.

China claims Taiwan, which split from the mainland in 1949, as part of its territory and has threatened to invade if the self-governing island declares formal independence or puts off talks on unification.

© 2005 The Associated Press

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