Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=6/22/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-40737
TITLE=CHINA / PROLIFERATION
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  
INTRO:  WHEN PRESIDENT CLINTON VISITS CHINA THIS WEEK, HE AND 
PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN WILL TRY TO FIND COMMON GROUND ON HOW BEST 
TO CONTAIN THE INDIA-PAKISTAN NUCLEAR ARMS RACE.  CHINA SAYS IT 
WANTS TO ACT RESPONSIBLY AS A LEADING MEMBER OF THE WORLD 
COMMUNITY, BUT V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ROGER WILKISON REPORTS BEIJING
IS DETERMINED  NOT  TO ABANDON ITS LONG-TIME ALLY, PAKISTAN.
TEXT:  MR. CLINTON WILL BE THE FIRST U-S PRESIDENT TO VISIT CHINA
SINCE THE MASSACRE OF PRO-DEMOCRACY DEMONSTRATORS IN 1989.  HE 
HAS BEEN TRYING TO BUILD WHAT CHINESE AND U-S OFFICIALS CALL A 
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES, BUT AMERICAN 
CONCERNS OVER SUCH ISSUES AS HUMAN RIGHTS, TIBET, NATIONAL 
SECURITY AND ALLEGED CHINESE INFLUENCE-PEDDLING IN U-S ELECTIONS 
HAVE HAMSTRUNG (CRIPPLED) THE EFFORT.
ONE AREA THE PRESIDENT CITES AS FERTILE GROUND FOR SINO - U-S 
COOPERATION IS NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION IN SOUTH ASIA.  U-S EXPERTS 
ON THE SUBJECT AGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT.  RICHARD HAASS, 
DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN POLICY STUDIES AT THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION 
IN WASHINGTON, IS ONE OF THEM.
                        /// HAASS ACT ///
 ULTIMATELY, THE ABILITY OF THE UNITED STATES TO MANAGE STABILITY
IN SOUTH  ASIA IS GOING TO REQUIRE SOME DEGREE OF CHINESE 
PARTICIPATION.  WE CAN'T SIMPLY SOLVE THE NEW CHALLENGES IN SOUTH
ASIA BY ENCOURAGING INDO-PAKISTANI DIALOGUE.
                         /// END ACT ///
WESTERN EXPERTS SAY CHINA HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ARMS RACE IN 
SOUTH ASIA BY SUPPORTING PAKISTAN'S NUCLEAR AND MISSILE PROGRAMS.
IT IS AN ALLEGATION CHINA HAS ALWAYS DENIED.  BUT BEIJING HAS 
LONG HAD A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH ISLAMABAD AND CONSIDERS 
PAKISTAN'S SECURITY VITAL TO ITS OWN.  STANFORD UNIVERSITY 
PROFESSOR MICHEL OKSENBERG SAYS CHINA ACTED TO MAKE PAKISTAN A 
COUNTERBALANCE TO INDIA.
                      /// OKSENBERG ACT ///
                 THE CHINESE OBJECTIVE HAS BEEN TO MAINTAIN A 
                 MILITARY BALANCE IN THE SOUTH ASIAN 
                 SUBCONTINENT.  AND MUCH OF THEIR ASSISTANCE TO 
                 PAKISTAN WAS  NOT  A STIMULANT, BUT A RESPONSE 
                 TO THE INDIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM ... OBVIOUSLY, THE
                 CHINESE MUST BE CONDEMNED FOR PRIOR SALES.  BUT 
                 NOW, BOTH OF US HAVE A JOINT RESPONSIBILITY FOR 
                 TRYING TO WALK THIS TERRIBLE SITUATION BACK.
                         /// END ACT ///
DIPLOMATS IN BEIJING SAY WASHINGTON WILL  NOT  HAVE AN EASY TASK 
IN PERSUADING CHINA TO PUT PRESSURE ON PAKISTAN TO HALT ITS 
NUCLEAR AND MISSILE PROGRAMS.  THEY SAY CHINA WILL WANT SOMETHING
IN RETURN FOR COOPERATING WITH WASHINGTON, SUCH AS A REDUCTION OF
ARMS SALES TO TAIWAN, ESPECIALLY THOSE INVOLVING ANTI-MISSILE 
SYSTEMS. 
BEIJING'S DISTRUST OF INDIA HAS BEEN HEIGHTENED BY THE ANTI-CHINA
RHETORIC THAT INDIAN LEADERS USED PRIOR TO CONDUCTING THEIR 
NUCLEAR TESTS.  BATES GILL -- DIRECTOR OF THE EAST ASIAN 
NON-PROLIFERATION PROJECT AT THE MONTEREY INSTITUTE OF 
INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN CALIFORNIA -- SAYS SOME OFFICIALS IN 
BEIJING ALSO SUSPECT WASHINGTON IS SECRETLY PLEASED THAT A 
NUCLEAR INDIA MAY PROVIDE A COUNTERBALANCE TO CHINA.
                        /// GILL ACT ///
                 WE DO NOT WANT THE CHINESE TO THINK THAT SOMEHOW
                 WE TURNED A BLIND EYE TO  INDIAN TESTS, THAT WE 
                 KNEW ABOUT THE TESTS SOMEHOW, OR THAT THERE WAS 
                 A CONSPIRACY IN PLACE TO ALLOW THIS GREATER 
                 PRESSURE NOW TO BE PLACED ON CHINA THROUGH ITS 
                 SOUTHERN FLANK.  HOPEFULLY WE CAN REASSURE THE 
                 CHINESE  ON THAT QUESTION AND BRING STABILITY TO
                 THIS CRITICAL TRIANGULAR RELATIONSHIP.
                         /// END ACT ///
MR. GILL AND OTHER EXPERTS SAY CHINA HAS BEEN MORE FORTHCOMING 
RECENTLY IN WORKING WITH THE UNITED STATES ON NUCLEAR 
NON-PROLIFERATION ISSUES, BUT MISSILES ARE ANOTHER MATTER.   THE 
UNITED STATES HAS LONG COMPLAINED ABOUT BEIJING'S TRANSFER OF 
MISSILE TECHNOLOGY TO PAKISTAN AND IRAN.  ALTHOUGH CHINA HAS BOTH
PROMISED TO STOP SUCH TRANSFERS AND DENIED THAT THEY EVER 
OCCURRED, WASHINGTON SAYS THE TECHNOLOGY IS STILL LEAKING OUT.  
U-S OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL WORK TO ENSURE THAT CHINA FULFILLS 
ITS PROMISES AND ADHERES TO AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT BARRING 
SUCH TRANSFERS -- AN AGREEMENT CHINA HAS SO FAR REFUSED TO SIGN. 
(SIGNED) 
NEB/RW/FC/WTW
22-Jun-98 6:46 AM EDT (1046 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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