Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=4/29/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-230420
TITLE=CHINA/ ALBRIGHT (L)
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT HAS ARRIVED IN 
BEIJING TO PAVE THE WAY FOR A JUNE VISIT BY PRESIDENT CLINTON, 
THE FIRST BY A U-S CHIEF OF STATE SINCE CHINA'S 1989 SUPPRESSION 
OF PRO-DEMOCRACY DEMONSTRATORS.  V-O-A'S ROGER WILKISON REPORTS 
THAT MS. ALBRIGHT AND CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER TANG JIAXUAN 
STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF BUILDING STRONGER TIES DESPITE 
DIFFERENCES OVER SUCH ISSUES AS HUMAN RIGHTS, TRADE, WEAPONS 
PROLIFERATION AND TAIWAN.
TEXT:  AFTER SIGNING AN AGREEMENT WEDNESDAY SETTING UP A SECURE 
HOTLINE BETWEEN BEIJING AND WASHINGTON, MRS. ALBRIGHT AND MR. 
TANG CHOSE TO ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF THE U-S / 
CHINESE RELATIONSHIP, WITHOUT DENYING THAT DIFFERENCES DO EXIST.
THE TELEPHONE LINK IS A CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURE AIMED AT 
ENSURING CLOSER CONTACT BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES IN TIMES OF CRISIS 
AND IS SEEN BY CHINESE OFFICIALS AS ANOTHER STEP IN BUILDING A 
STRONGER RELATIONSHIP ORIENTED TOWARD THE FUTURE RATHER THAN THE 
OFTEN-STORMY PAST.
SPEAKING WITH REPORTERS, MS. ALBRIGHT SUGGESTED THAT THE TIME HAS
COME FOR THE TWO NATIONS TO LOOK FORWARD.
           //ALBRIGHT ACT//
  THE KINDS OF ISSUES THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH ARE THE TYPES OF 
ISSUES THAT TAKE PLACE BETWEEN TWO COUNTRIES THAT HAVE A GREAT 
DEAL IN COMMON AND COUNTRIES THAT STILL HAVE DIFFERENCES.  THAT'S
WHY THESE DIALOGUES TAKE PLACE.  AND WE ARE LOOKING TOWARD THE 
21ST CENTURY IN TERMS OF OUR  RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA.  AND THAT 
IS THE FOCUS OF THE SUMMIT -- IT'S TO LOOK FORWARD AND TRY TO 
ANCHOR OUR RELATIONSHIP IN A WAY THAT IS PRODUCTIVE BILATERALLY.
          //END ACT//
DESPITE THE UPBEAT TALK, MS. ALBRIGHT HAS PLEDGED TO BRING UP 
SENSITIVE ISSUES LIKE HUMAN RIGHTS DURING HER TWO DAYS OF TALKS 
WITH CHINESE LEADERS.  AND THOUGH HE, TOO, EMPHASIZED THE NEED TO
KEEP UP THE EFFORT TO BUILD A STRONG RELATIONSHIP, MR. TANG --  
SPEAKING THROUGH AN INTERPRETER -- SAID CHINA HAS ITS OWN 
PRIORITIES ON THE BILATERAL AGENDA.
         //INTERPRETER ACT// 
  CHINA / U-S RELATIONS HAVE MAINTAINED THE MOMENTUM OF CONTINUED
IMPROVEMENT AND GROWTH.  NATURALLY, THERE ARE ALSO SOME UNCERTAIN
FACTORS IN THE COURSE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHINA / U-S 
RELATIONS, AND THE ISSUE THAT WE ATTACH THE GREATEST IMPORTANCE 
TO IS THE QUESTION OF TAIWAN.
          //END ACT//
CHINA CONSIDERS TAIWAN A RENEGADE PROVINCE, AND, THOUGH 
WASHINGTON SAYS ITS RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN ARE ONLY UNOFFICIAL, IT
CONTINUES TO SELL ARMS TO THE ISLAND.  CHINA WANTS A HALT TO 
THOSE SALES.
ON THURSDAY, MS. ALBRIGHT WILL MEET WITH PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN 
AND PREMIER ZHU RONGJI.  SHE IS ALSO EXPECTED TO HOLD DISCUSSIONS
WITH CITIZENS WHO ARE ACTIVE IN A MOVEMENT TO REFORM CHINA'S LAWS
AND JUDICIAL SYSTEM.  (SIGNED)
NEB/RW/GC/FC/RRM
29-Apr-98 5:17 AM EDT (0917 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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