John Negroponte, the US deputy secretary of state, has criticized Taiwan's planned referendum on United Nations membership. Speaking during an interview with Phoenikx TV, a Hong Kong based broadcaster, Mr Negroponte said: "We oppose the notion of that kind of a referendum because we see that as a step towards the declaration - towards a declaration of independence of Taiwan, towards an alteration of the status quo." (Source: Kathrin Hille in Taipei, Msnbc, Aug 28, 2007).