Military

DATE=11/04/04

TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT

TITLE=ASIA / US ELECTION UPDATE

NUMBER=5-56094

BYLINE=HEDA BAYRON

DATELINE=HONG KONG

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

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HEADLINE: Asian Leaders Welcome Bush Re-election for Continuity

INTRO: Asian leaders (Thursday) have welcomed President Bush's re-election, with some hoping for continuity in U.S. policy and others expecting progress on the North Korean nuclear dispute, terrorism and economic stability. VOA's Heda Bayron canvasses reactions from across the region from our Asia News Center in Hong Kong.

TEXT: China says it would continue to work with the United States on pushing North Korea to resume talks on it nuclear weapons program and strengthening overall cooperation with Washington.

China has traditionally stayed neutral on US election politics. There was no mention Thursday of election eve tensions when former foreign minister Qian Qichen published an essay harshly criticizing President Bush and what he calls his unilateralist policies in Iraq and on terrorism.

China's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue instead stressed that good relations with the Bush administration will continue.

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She says in the past four years, U.S.-Chinese relations have developed positively and Beijing is ready to keep working with the United States on matters of mutual benefit.

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She did, however, call the Bush administration to stick with its "One China" policy - which does not recognize Taiwan as independent from Beijing.

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Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue says the Bush administration should "properly handle" the Taiwan issue by not sending the "wrong" signals to Taiwan.

That was an apparent reference to a proposed U.S. multi-billion dollar arms sale to Taiwan. Washington does not recognize Taiwan as independent but has legal obligations to help the democratic island defend itself from an attack by communist China.

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In South Korea, Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon says he hopes now that the U.S. election is over, North Korea would return to negotiations on its nuclear weapons programs and "make bolder decisions" to end them. Pyongyang has been seen as delaying talking substance until it was clear who was going to lead America for the next four years.

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Mr. Ban says he expects Mr. Bush in his 2nd term as president to step up efforts to disarm North Korea.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi - who expressed a preference for Mr. Bush before the election - says a 2nd Bush term is good for Japan.

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Mr. Koizumi says Mr. Bush will continue to emphasize Japan and their trusted relationship in his second term.

But Tokyo also urged its ally, the United States, to deal with its trade and budget deficit, which it says, "pose uncertainty" to the global economy.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard, the Bush administration's staunchest supporter in the region on the Iraqi policy, says President Bush's victory is a "re-affirmation" of America's fight against terrorism.

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"It's a victory for the anti-terrorism cause. It's a signal to the rest of the world that it must redouble its efforts to unite to combat the threat that terrorism represents."

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Australia says it would urge the United States to continue its anti-terrorism involvement in Southeast Asia against the Indonesian-based terror network, Jemaah Islamiyah and other groups.

Indonesia, the world's largest majority-Muslim nation, also congratulated President Bush and urged for closer security cooperation. But Muslim leaders there expressed anxiety over a second Bush term.

Din Syamsuddin, the head of the Indonesian Council of Ulamas, says he hopes America's leadership would be more sensitive to the Muslim people, especially in the war on terrorism, which, to date, has focused only on Islamic militant groups. ///OPT /// But he fears that with President Bush in power, the Muslim world will only feel more alienated from America. ///END OPT ///

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"He (Bush) will conduct war on terror, in more oppressive, repressive and terrorizing way by destroying the Muslim countries as he did to Afghanistan and Iraq."

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/// OPT /// Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, who also chairs the Organization of Islamic Conference, called for greater commitment from President Bush in resolving the Palestinian conflict and Iraqi situation. /// END OPT ///

In South Asia, Pakistan's information minister says his government is hopeful that issues such as the Kashmir dispute with its nuclear rival India, will be resolved under President Bush's second term. Pakistan has strongly supported the U.S.-led anti-terror campaign against al Qaida and the Taleban in neighboring Afghanistan.

In India, the government had little to say other than to congratulate Mr. Bush. But analysts and diplomats say it is better for India to continue with Mr. Bush rather than have to hash out all the issues with someone new. /// OPT /// President Bush's victory is also seen as a boost to India's multi-billion dollar outsourcing industry. The industry has been blamed by Mr. Bush's rival, Democratic Senator John Kerry, for the loss of jobs in America. (Signed)

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