DATE=2/23/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-245860 TITLE=CHINA / NOR KOR / U-S (L ONLY) BYLINE=STEPHANIE MANN DATELINE=WASHINGTON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: U-S OFFICIALS SAY CHINA MAY BE HELPING NORTH KOREA DEVELOP ITS SPACE SATELLITE PROGRAM. AS V-O-A'S STEPHANIE MANN REPORTS, THIS DEVELOPMENT COMES AS THE CONGRESS AND ADMINISTRATION QUESTION IF IT IS APPROPRIATE TO ALLOW CHINA ACCESS TO SENSITIVE U-S TECHNOLOGY. TEXT: ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS HAVE NOT COMMENTED PUBLICLY, BUT PRIVATELY U-S OFFICIALS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT INDICATIONS THAT CHINA HAS BEEN COOPERATING WITH NORTH KOREA ON DEVELOPING ITS SATELLITE LAUNCHING CAPABILITY. THE WASHINGTON TIMES NEWSPAPER REPORTS THAT SENIOR CLINTON ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS HAVE RECEIVED INTELLIGENCE REPORTS SAYING CHINESE SCIENTISTS FROM THE ACADEMY OF LAUNCH TECHNOLOGY VISITED NORTH KOREA LAST YEAR. U-S INTELLIGENCE AND MILITARY SOURCES PRIVATELY CONFIRM THE TIMES REPORT, SAYING ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS ARE WORRIED CHINA MAY BE WORKING WITH NORTH KOREA TO LAUNCH SATELLITES INTO SPACE. LAST AUGUST, NORTH KOREA USED A LONG-RANGE MISSILE TO TRY TO PUT A SATELLITE IN ORBIT. U-S OFFICIALS SAY THE LAUNCH FAILED AND THE SATELLITE BROKE APART. THE TECHNOLOGY FOR LAUNCHING SPACE SATELLITES IS RELATED TO THAT FOR MISSILES, AND OFFICIALS FEAR THAT CHINA'S HELP IN THE SATELLITE FIELD MAY GIVE A BOOST TO NORTH KOREA'S LONG-RANGE MISSILE PROGRAM. THE WASHINGTON TIMES QUOTES A CHINESE EMBASSY SPOKESMAN AS SAYING REPORTS OF SPACE COOPERATION WITH PYONGYANG ARE GROUNDLESS, AND ADDING THAT CHINA HAS STRICT CONTROLS ON MISSILE AND SATELLITE LAUNCH TECHNOLOGY. AMERICAN ANALYSTS OF CHINESE MILITARY AFFAIRS SAY VISITS BY THE CHINESE SATELLITE LAUNCH SCIENTISTS MAY NOT HAVE LED TO ACTUAL TRANSFERS OF TECHNOLOGY TO NORTH KOREA. AFTER ALL, THE ANALYSTS SAY, WHAT WOULD NORTH KOREA BE ABLE TO OFFER CHINA IN EXCHANGE? WHETHER OR NOT THE REPORTS OF SATELLITE COOPERATION ARE TRUE, THE ALLEGATIONS THEMSELVES COULD FURTHER STRAIN U-S-CHIINA RELATIONS. THE U-S GOVERNMENT THIS WEEK REJECTED THE PROPOSED SALE OF AN AMERICAN-MADE SATELLITE TO A BUSINESS GROUP WITH TIES TO CHINA'S MILITARY, FOR REASONS OF NATIONAL SECURITY. AND A U-S CONGRESSIONAL REPORT RECENTLY ACCUSED CHINA OF ILLEGALLY ACQUIRING U-S MISSILE TECHNOLOGY -- A CHARGE CHINA HAS DENIED. ANALYSTS SAY THE NEW REPORT ABOUT CHINESE-NORTH KOREAN COOPERATION MAKES THE ATMOSPHERE MORE DIFFICULT IN ADVANCE OF SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT'S TRIP TO BEIJING NEXT WEEK, AND A PLANNED VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES IN APRIL BY CHINESE PRIME MINISTER ZHU RONGJI. (SIGNED) NEB/SMN/GE 23-Feb-99 1:16 PM EST (1816 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
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