DATE=2/11/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245395
TITLE=CHINA PROLIFERATION (L ONLY)
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: CHINA SAYS IT ONLY EXPORTS WEAPONS THAT MEET THE
LEGITIMATE DEFENSE NEEDS OF RECIPIENT COUNTRIES AND ITS ARMS
SALES DO NOT ENDANGER REGIONAL PEACE OR STABILITY. V-O-A
CORRESPONDENT ROGER WILKISON REPORTS, CHINA'S DEFENSE OF ITS
WEAPONS POLICY COMES AFTER THE U-S CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WARNED IT IS CONCERNED ABOUT ARMS PROLIFERATION BY CHINESE AND
RUSSIAN COMPANIES.
TEXT: IN A REPORT TO CONGRESS, THE C-I-A SAYS ORGANIZATIONS IN
CHINA AND RUSSIA THAT MAY BE OUTSIDE THE DIRECT CONTROL OF THEIR
GOVERNMENTS HAVE EMERGED AS KEY WEAPONS EXPORTERS. THE REPORT
PRAISES THE CHINESE AND RUSSIAN GOVERNMENTS FOR EXPANDING THEIR
COMMITMENTS TO RESTRICT THE EXPORT OF DEADLY TECHNOLOGIES. BUT
IT SAYS COMPANIES AND QUASI-GOVERNMENT ENTITIES IN BOTH NATIONS
HAVE MADE THEIR OWN DEALS WITH COUNTRIES THAT ARE SEEKING MISSILE
TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER WEAPONS CAPABILITY.
THE REPORT SAYS SOME CHINESE ORGANIZATIONS SUPPLIED ADVANCED
CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS TO IRAN, WHILE OTHERS SUPPLIED BOTH IRAN AND
SYRIA WITH CHEMICAL WEAPONS-RELATED MATERIALS.
CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESWOMAN ZHANG QIYUE REFUSED THURSDAY
TO COMMENT DIRECTLY ON THE REPORT, SAYING SHE HAD NOT SEEN IT.
BUT MS. ZHANG -- SPEAKING THROUGH AN INTERPRETER -- SAID CHINA
TAKES WHAT SHE CALLED A PRUDENT ATTITUDE TOWARD WEAPONS SALES.
/// INTERPRETER ACTUALITY ///
WITH REGARD TO THE EXPORT OF WEAPONS, WE'VE OBSERVED THREE
PRINCIPLES: FIRST, TO ENHANCE THE LEGITIMATE DEFENSE CAPABILITY
OF THE RECIPIENT COUNTRIES. AND SECOND, NOT TO HARM PEACE,
SECURITY AND STABILITY OF THE REGION CONCERNED. AND THIRD, NOT
TO INTERFERE IN THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF THE RECIPIENT COUNTRIES.
/////END ACTUALITY/////
MS. ZHANG AND CHINA'S DEFENSE MINISTRY REFUSED TO COMMENT ON A
NEWSPAPER REPORT THAT CHINA HAS INCREASED ITS DEPLOYMENT OF
MISSILES AIMED AT TAIWAN. BRITAIN'S FINANCIAL TIMES QUOTES
MILITARY ANALYSTS IN WASHINGTON AS SAYING A STILL-CLASSIFIED
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT REPORT REVEALS THAT CHINA NOW HAS BETWEEN 150
AND 200 MISSILES AIMED AT THE ISLAND IT REGARDS AS A REBEL
PROVINCE.
THE TAIWANESE DEFENSE MINISTRY -- SAYING IT WAS AWARE OF THE
DEPLOYMENT -- IS PROTESTING THE CHINESE MOVE AS A PSYCHOLOGICAL
AS WELL AS A MILITARY THREAT TO THE ISLAND.
A U-S DIPLOMAT IN BEIJING SAYS THE REPORTED DEPLOYMENT COULD
STRENGTHEN CALLS IN WASHINGTON FOR TAIWAN'S INCLUSION IN A
U-S-BACKED REGIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM.
/////REST OPTIONAL/////
CHINA HAS REPEATEDLY VOICED ITS FIRM OPPOSITION TO TAIWAN'S
INCLUSION IN SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT, KNOWN AS A THEATER MISSILE
DEFENSE, OR T-M-D FOR SHORT. FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESWOMAN ZHANG
SAYS THE INCORPORATION OF TAIWAN INTO A T-M-D SYSTEM WOULD
VIOLATE U-S COMMITMENTS TO CHINA, UNDERMINE U-S/CHINA RELATIONS
AND HARM REGIONAL SECURITY.
/// INTERPRETER ACTUALITY ///
WE HOPE THAT THE U-S ADMINISTRATION CAN REFRAIN FROM THE SALES
OF T-M-D AND OTHER RELATED TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT TO TAIWAN, SO
AS TO AVOID THE DAMAGE TO BILATERAL RELATIONS.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
THE STATE DEPARTMENT WEDNESDAY WARNED OF TOUGH TIMES AHEAD IN U-S
/ CHINA RELATIONS IN VIEW OF BEIJING'S GROWING MILITARY
STRENGTH, ITS CRACKDOWN ON DISSIDENTS AND ITS HUGE TRADE SURPLUS
WITH WASHINGTON. (SIGNED)
NEB/RW/FC/KL
11-Feb-99 7:01 AM EST (1201 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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