Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=6/16/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233989
TITLE=CHINA / U-S TRADE (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=STEPHANIE HO
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  
INTRO:  CHINA IS DISPUTING REPORTS ON THE SIZE OF ITS TRADE 
SURPLUS WITH THE UNITED STATES, AND SAYS IT IS WORKING HARD TO 
REDUCE THE IMBALANCE.  AS WE HEAR FROM V-O-A'S STEPHANIE HO IN 
BEIJING,  IN RETURN FOR THOSE EFFORTS, CHINA IS CALLING ON THE 
U-S GOVERNMENT TO LIFT ALL REMAINING TRADE RESTRICTIONS THAT WERE
IMPOSED FOLLOWING THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S CRACKDOWN ON 
DEMONSTRATORS IN BEIJING IN 1989.
TEXT:  CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ZHU BANGZAO REJECTED A 
HONG KONG JOURNALIST'S CLAIM THAT THE U-S TRADE DEFICIT WITH 
CHINA IS NOW NEARING 50-BILLION DOLLARS.
AT A BRIEFING TUESDAY, MR. ZHU -- SPEAKING THROUGH A TRANSLATOR 
-- SAID BOTH SIDES ARE TRYING TO COME UP WITH WHAT HE SAYS IS A 
MORE ACCURATE FIGURE.
                /// FIRST ZHU TRANSLATOR ACT /// 
 THE TRADE DEFICIT IS NOT SO BIG AS CALCULATED BY THE U-S SIDE.  
THE CHINESE AND AMERICAN EXPERTS ARE WORKING ON THE STATISTICAL 
METHOD, WITH DISCUSSIONS AND CONSULTATIONS WHICH WILL CONTINUE TO
FIND THE SCIENTIFIC STATISTICAL METHOD THAT CAN REFLECT THE 
REALITY.
                         /// END ACT ///
HE POINTED OUT THAT AMERICAN EXPORTS TO CHINA HAVE INCREASED 
EIGHT-FOLD IN NEARLY TWO DECADES.
               /// SECOND ZHU TRANSLATOR ACT /// 
                 FROM ONE-POINT-86 BILLION U-S DOLLARS IN 1979 TO
                 16-POINT-THREE BILLION U-S DOLLARS IN 1997.
                         /// END ACT ///
MR. ZHU SAYS THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAS ALL ALONG ENCOURAGED 
CHINESE ENTERPRISES TO INCREASE THEIR IMPORTS FROM THE UNITED 
STATES.
                /// THIRD ZHU TRANSLATOR ACT /// 
                 WE HAVE ALREADY MADE AND WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE 
                 SUCH EFFORTS.
                         /// END ACT ///
IN RETURN, THOUGH, THE CHINESE SPOKESMAN IS REPEATING BEIJING'S 
CALL FOR THE UNITED STATES TO LIFT RESTRICTIONS ON TRADE BETWEEN 
THE TWO COUNTRIES.
               /// FOURTH ZHU TRANSLATOR ACT /// 
                 WE ALSO HOPE THE U-S SIDE WILL TAKE POSITIVE 
                 MEASURES TO THOROUGHLY REMOVE AND LIFT THE 
                 RESTRICTIONS ON THE HIGH-TECH TRANSFERS TO 
                 CHINA.
                         /// END ACT ///
HE ADDS THAT CONTINUED TRADE IS GOOD FOR BOTH COUNTRIES.
                /// FIFTH ZHU TRANSLATOR ACT ///
                  THE FURTHERANCE OF ECONOMIC RELATIONS AND TRADE
                 BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES IS BLESSED WITH GREAT 
                 POTENTIAL AND WILL BENEFIT BOTH PEOPLES. 
                         /// END ACT ///
MR. ZHU SAYS TRADE BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES HAS LED TO MILLIONS 
OF JOBS IN THE UNITED STATES.  HE ADDS THAT THE LOW PRICES OF 
GOODS FROM CHINA HAVE HELPED THE UNITED STATES MAINTAIN ITS LOW 
RATE OF INFLATION.   (SIGNED)
NEB/HO/FC/WTW
16-Jun-98 7:51 AM EDT (1151 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.