DATE=12/7/1999 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT TITLE=CHINA / U-S MILITARY (L-ONLY) NUMBER=2-256919 BYLINE=GRACE CUTLER DATELINE=HONG KONG CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: Military relations between China and the United States appear to be improving in the wake of the bombing of Chinese Embassy in Belgrade during the NATO's air attacks on Yugoslavia earlier this year. On a visit to Hong Kong, the U-S commander of the Seventh Fleet made it clear that Washington is prepared to resume military ties when Beijing is ready. Grace Cutler reports from Hong Kong. TEXT: Vice Admiral Walter Doran says U-S/Sino military relations still have a way to go before reaching the level they were before the bombing, but things are improving. Beijing severed military ties with Washington after the NATO's bombing of the Chinese embassy in May. Since then China, which has responsibility for Hong Kong's defense, has allowed only select U-S military vessels and planes to enter the Chinese territory, which is a favored port of call for off duty American service personnel. Vice Admiral Doran stresses that the fact that his ship, a guided missile cruiser, was allowed entry in Hong Kong for a port call does not mean that military ties between China and the United States are back to normal. /// DORAN ACT /// We are not there yet. We are very happy to be back in Hong Kong. And we would look forward to the normalization of relations. What the time line is I don't know. We are ready. /// END ACT /// Vice Admiral Doran is the highest-ranking U-S military official to visit Hong Kong since the NATO bombing. In another sign of warming ties, several People's Liberation Army officers have accepted an invitation to a reception aboard the U-S-S Blue Ridge. Last week a Hong Kong garrison of the People's Liberation Army and U-S military personnel participated in a search and rescue exercise. NEB/GC/KL 07-Dec-1999 08:40 AM EDT (07-Dec-1999 1340 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
