DATE=05/28/98
TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-10737
TITLE=MORE ON THE CHINESE ROCKET LAUNCH CONTROVERSY
BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE
TELEPHONE=619-3335
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
INTRO: ONE OF THE MOST CONTENTIOUS AND CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES
ROILING RELATIONS BETWEEN THE CLINTON WHITE HOUSE AND CONGRESS
THESE DAYS IS THE LAUNCHING OF COMMERCIAL U-S SATELLITES ON
CHINESE ROCKETS.
FURTHER COMPLICATING THIS SUBJECT IS A "THE NEW YORK TIMES"
REPORT THAT, DURING THE 1996 ELECTION CAMPAIGN, A HIGH-RANKING
CHINESE MILITARY AND AEROSPACE OFFICIAL MADE WHAT APPEARS TO BE
AN ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION OF ONE-HUNDRED-THOUSAND DOLLARS
TO THE CLINTON CAMPAIGN.
NOW, SOME POLITICIANS BELIEVE THAT DONATION MAY HAVE INFLUENCED
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION POLICY TOWARD BOTH CONTINUING TO LAUNCH
COMMERCIAL SATELLITES ON CHINESE ROCKETS, DUE TO A SHORTAGE OF
U-S LAUNCHING ROCKETS, AND SHARING SENSITIVE ROCKET GUIDANCE
TECHNOLOGY WITH THE CHINESE.
AS THE TOPIC CONTINUES TO BE DEBATED IN THE PRESS, WE INVITED
_____________________ TO JOIN US WITH A SAMPLING IN TODAY'S U-S
OPINION ROUNDUP.
TEXT: THE "TIMES" STORY BROKE ABOUT TEN DAYS AGO AND EXPLAINED
HOW LONG-TIME DEMOCRATIC FUND RAISER AND ONE-TIME COMMERCE
DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL JOHNNY CHUNG, TOOK A 300-THOUSAND-DOLLAR
CONTRIBUTION FROM A HIGH CHINESE ARMY OFFICER, AND PASSED ON A
THIRD OF IT TO THE CLINTON RE-ELECTION COMMITTEE.
THE IMPLICATION IN THE "TIMES" STORY WAS THAT DECISIONS MADE BY
THE PRESIDENT TO ALLOW LAUNCHES OF U-S COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITES
ON CHINESE ROCKETS AND THE TRANSFER OF SOME ROCKET GUIDANCE
TECHNOLOGY TO THE CHINESE MAY HAVE BEEN INFLUENCED BY THE
CONTRIBUTION. FURTHER COMPLICATING THE TALE IS THE REVELATION
THAT BERNARD SCHWARTZ, THE OWNER OF THE LORAL CORPORATION, THE
COMPANY THAT MADE THE SATELLITE LAUNCHED ON THE CHINESE ROCKET,
GAVE A TOTAL OF 632-THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN
1996.
THE WHITE HOUSE HAS DENIED THAT ANY CONTRIBUTIONS INFLUENCED U-S
POLICY ON THE LAUNCHES, AND PRODUCED MEMOS FROM THE STATE AND
COMMERCE DEPARTMENTS THAT THEY WERE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE
NATION.
THE UNITED STATES CURRENTLY HAS MORE COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITES TO
BE LAUNCHED THAN IT HAS ROCKETS TO LAUNCH THEM, WHICH IS WHY SOME
U-S FIRMS HAVE PAID THE CHINESE TO LAUNCH THEM.. IT IT ALSO A
MATTER OF RECORD THAT BOTH PRESIDENTS REAGAN AND BUSH APPROVED
NUMEROUS LAUNCHES OF U-S SATELLITES ON CHINESE ROCKETS WITHOUT
CONTROVERSY FOR THE SAME REASON.
THE CONTROVERSY HAS AROUSED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER MR. CLINTON'S
VISIT TO CHINA NEXT MONTH SHOULD PROCEED ON SCHEDULE. TO THAT
PART OF THE DEBATE, "THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS" ANSWERS YES.
VOICE: SHOULD PRESIDENT CLINTON VISIT CHINA? MANY AMERICANS
THINK NOT. THEY THINK HE SHOULD CANCEL BECAUSE OF
ALLEGATIONS ... HE COMPROMISED NATIONAL SECURITY WHEN
HIS PARTY ACCEPTED CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM CHINA AND
FROM A U-S COMPANY THAT MAY HAVE ILLEGALLY FUNNELED
MISSILE TECHNOLOGY TO CHINA. /// OPT /// SPECIFICALLY,
THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE IS ALLEGED TO HAVE
TAKEN MONEY FROM CHINA'S MILITARY. AND MR. CLINTON
WAIVED RESTRICTIONS ON SATELLITE SALES BY LORAL SPACE &
COMMUNICATIONS, A BIG DEMOCRATIC PARTY DONOR, DESPITE
BEING WARNED THAT THE COMPANY MAY HAVE GIVEN CHINA
TECHNOLOGY THAT WOULD ENHANCE THE ACCURACY OF ITS
NUCLEAR-ARMED MISSILES. /// END OPT /// SO, SHOULD MR.
CLINTON GO? THE ANSWER IS YES. DESPITE THE LEGITIMATE
OUTRAGE OF CONGRESS AND THE AMERICAN PUBLIC, THE FULL
RANGE OF ISSUES IS TOO IMPORTANT TO ALLOW THIS LATEST
SCANDAL TO DERAIL THE VISIT. ..... THIS IS ONE
DECISION THAT SHOULD BE GUIDED BY THE NATION'S INTEREST,
NOT BY THE ANXIETY OF THE MOMENT OR THE URGING OF SOME
POWERFUL ARMED SEGMENT. .... AT THE SAME TIME, THE HOUSE
AND ... SENATE SHOULD PUSH THEIR INTENSIFIED
INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE CAMPAIGN IRREGULARITIES, TAKING
CARE NOT TO CONDUCT A PARTISAN WITCH-HUNT.
TEXT: "THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR" AGREES THAT THE CHARGES
ARE SERIOUS, BUT CALLS ON CONGRESS TO BE PRUDENT IN INVESTIGATING
THEM. AND "THE MONITOR" AGREES THAT THE CHINA TRIP SHOULD GO
FORTH.
VOICE: HOUSE SPEAKER [NEWT] GINGRICH AND SENATE MAJORITY LEADER
[TRENT] LOTT OUGHT TO START THE COMING DAYS SORTING OUT
AMERICA'S NATIONAL INTEREST IN CHINA FROM THE POLITICAL
HAY [GAIN] TO BE MADE FROM ATTEMPTS BY SOME CHINESE
MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL-PARTY FIGURES TO INFLUENCE THE
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION. THE TWO MATTERS ARE NOT TOTALLY
UNRELATED. BUT THEY ARE SUBSTANTIALLY SEPARATE. /// OPT
/// THEY OUGHT TO BE SO TREATED. ONE RESULT WOULD BE
TO DROP DEMANDS THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON CANCEL OR CURTAIL
HIS LATE-JUNE CHINA TRIP. MR. CLINTON MAY DESERVE
CRITICISM FOR HIS 180-DEGREE SWING ON CHINA POLICY SINCE
HE RECKLESSLY CRITICIZED PRESIDENT BUSH IN 1992. BUT
/// END OPT /// THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DON'T DESERVE A
SILLY SEASON OF DAMAGE TO U-S RELATIONS WITH BEIJING.
.... DOES THIS MEAN FORGOING INVESTIGATION (AND CAMPAIGN
CRITICISM) OF THE CLINTON TEAM FOR ITS CHINA-RELATED
FUND-RAISING? NO. BUT THOSE WHO PURSUE THAT TACK
SHOULD MUZZLE THE 'TREASON' TALK. THAT RISKS A REPEAT
OF THE GOP'S 'WHO LOST CHINA' DEMAGOGUERY OF THE 1950S
.......
TEXT: "THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER" SAYS THE MATTER NEEDS CLOSE
SCRUTINY BY THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
VOICE: AS PRESIDENT CLINTON SCROUNGED [SOUGHT] FOR MILLIONS TO
WIN REELECTION, DID HE LOWER AMERICA'S GUARD AGAINST
CHINA'S MILITARY? THIS GRAVE CHARGE CALLS FOR A FULL
PROBE BY INVESTIGATORS DEDICATED TO GETTING THE FACTS,
NOT FIGHTING POLITICAL WARS OR COVERING THE BOSS' BACK.
[MAKING EXCUSES FOR THE PRESIDENT THAT WOULD PROTECT HIM
FROM THE CHARGES] .... AND WHY MIGHT THE CHINESE
MILITARY DO SUCH A THING? [MAKE THE CONTRIBUTION]
PERHAPS TO COAX U-S OFFICIALS TO KEEP RELAXING
RESTRICTIONS AGAINST AMERICAN COMPANIES ASKING CHINA TO
LAUNCH THEIR SATELLITES. ..... AT THIS POINT, THIS IS
SUSPICION, NOT FACT ...... [BUT IT] SHOULD BE A HIGH
PRIORITY FOR INVESTIGATION BY ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET
RENO OR, IF NEED BE, AN INDEPENDENT COUNSEL.
/// OPT ///
TEXT: "THE MIAMI HERALD" SAYS SINCE SEVERAL PRESIDENTS HAVE
AUTHORIZED U-S SATELLITE LAUNCHES ON CHINESE ROCKETS, DUE TO A
SHORTAGE OF U-S LAUNCH VEHICLES, SOME PERSPECTIVE NEEDS TO BE
APPLIED TO THESE LATEST ALLEGATIONS. THE PAPER SUGGESTS PARTISAN
POLITICS HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH THE CURRENT CONGRESSIONAL
PROTESTS.
VOICE: ...... HERE ARE TWO READILY DISCERNIBLE ISSUES: NATIONAL
SECURITY, WHICH WARRANTS CONGRESSIONAL SCRUTINY, AND
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM. CONGRESS HAS DEMONSTRATED THE
THE LATTER IS A SCANDAL DEMANDING ACTION. RATHER THAN
PRESSURE PRESIDENT CLINTON TO CANCEL HIS CHINA TRIP,
CONGRESS OUGHT TO SEND HIM OFF WITH A SHIELD THAT GUARDS
AGAINST BAD POLICY **AND** [ITALICS FOR EMPHASIS]
INFLUENCE PEDDLING: CAMPAIGN-FINANCE REFORM THAT
INCLUDES A BAN ON 'SOFT MONEY' FROM EVERY SOURCE.
AMERICANS COULD THEN REST EASIER.
TEXT: LASTLY, "THE WASHINGTON TIMES" PLACES MOST OF THE BLAME
FOR POSSIBLE IRRESPONSIBLE ACTIONS ON THE PRESIDENT.
VOICE: IRRESPONSIBLE, SELF-SERVING DECISIONS BY THE WHITE HOUSE
HAVE SEVERELY COMPLICATED THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OF THE UNAUTHORIZED TRANSFER OF
BALLISTIC-MISSILE TECHNOLOGY TO CHINA BY LORAL SPACE &
COMMUNICATIONS. WHILE PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS CLAIMED HE
NEVER MADE A DECISION BASED 'SOLELY' ON CAMPAIGN
CONTRIBUTIONS, IT SO HAPPENS THAT LORAL'S CHAIRMAN,
BERNARD SCHWARTZ, HAS BEEN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S
BIGGEST INDIVIDUAL SOFT-MONEY CONTRIBUTOR FOR THE PAST
THREE YEARS. AND IT SO HAPPENS THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON
HAS BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE BENT OVER BACKWARDS [GONE OUT OF
HIS WAY TO AID] OUT OF CONCERN FOR 'FAIRNESS' TO HIS
PARTY'S BIGGEST SUGAR DADDY [PRIME CONTRIBUTOR].
TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF THE LATEST
COMMENT ON THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE POLICY OF ALLOWING U-S
SATELLITES TO BE LAUNCHED ON CHINESE MISSILES, AND THE CAMPAIGN
CONTRIBUTIONS TO MR. CLINTON'S ELECTION CAMPAIGN THAT MIGHT BE
RELATED TO THIS POLICY.
NEB/ANG/KL
28-May-98 2:51 PM EDT (1851 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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