DATE=2/23/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245860
TITLE=CHINA / NOR KOR / U-S (L ONLY)
BYLINE=STEPHANIE MANN
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: U-S OFFICIALS SAY CHINA MAY BE HELPING NORTH KOREA
DEVELOP ITS SPACE SATELLITE PROGRAM. AS V-O-A'S STEPHANIE MANN
REPORTS, THIS DEVELOPMENT COMES AS THE CONGRESS AND
ADMINISTRATION QUESTION IF IT IS APPROPRIATE TO ALLOW CHINA
ACCESS TO SENSITIVE U-S TECHNOLOGY.
TEXT: ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS HAVE NOT COMMENTED PUBLICLY, BUT
PRIVATELY U-S OFFICIALS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT INDICATIONS
THAT CHINA HAS BEEN COOPERATING WITH NORTH KOREA ON DEVELOPING
ITS SATELLITE LAUNCHING CAPABILITY.
THE WASHINGTON TIMES NEWSPAPER REPORTS THAT SENIOR CLINTON
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS HAVE RECEIVED INTELLIGENCE REPORTS
SAYING CHINESE SCIENTISTS FROM THE ACADEMY OF LAUNCH TECHNOLOGY
VISITED NORTH KOREA LAST YEAR.
U-S INTELLIGENCE AND MILITARY SOURCES PRIVATELY CONFIRM THE TIMES
REPORT, SAYING ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS ARE WORRIED CHINA MAY BE
WORKING WITH NORTH KOREA TO LAUNCH SATELLITES INTO SPACE.
LAST AUGUST, NORTH KOREA USED A LONG-RANGE MISSILE TO TRY TO PUT
A SATELLITE IN ORBIT. U-S OFFICIALS SAY THE LAUNCH FAILED AND
THE SATELLITE BROKE APART.
THE TECHNOLOGY FOR LAUNCHING SPACE SATELLITES IS RELATED TO THAT
FOR MISSILES, AND OFFICIALS FEAR THAT CHINA'S HELP IN THE
SATELLITE FIELD MAY GIVE A BOOST TO NORTH KOREA'S LONG-RANGE
MISSILE PROGRAM.
THE WASHINGTON TIMES QUOTES A CHINESE EMBASSY SPOKESMAN AS SAYING
REPORTS OF SPACE COOPERATION WITH PYONGYANG ARE GROUNDLESS, AND
ADDING THAT CHINA HAS STRICT CONTROLS ON MISSILE AND SATELLITE
LAUNCH TECHNOLOGY.
AMERICAN ANALYSTS OF CHINESE MILITARY AFFAIRS SAY VISITS BY THE
CHINESE SATELLITE LAUNCH SCIENTISTS MAY NOT HAVE LED TO ACTUAL
TRANSFERS OF TECHNOLOGY TO NORTH KOREA. AFTER ALL, THE ANALYSTS
SAY, WHAT WOULD NORTH KOREA BE ABLE TO OFFER CHINA IN EXCHANGE?
WHETHER OR NOT THE REPORTS OF SATELLITE COOPERATION ARE TRUE, THE
ALLEGATIONS THEMSELVES COULD FURTHER STRAIN U-S-CHIINA RELATIONS.
THE U-S GOVERNMENT THIS WEEK REJECTED THE PROPOSED SALE OF AN
AMERICAN-MADE SATELLITE TO A BUSINESS GROUP WITH TIES TO CHINA'S
MILITARY, FOR REASONS OF NATIONAL SECURITY. AND A U-S
CONGRESSIONAL REPORT RECENTLY ACCUSED CHINA OF ILLEGALLY
ACQUIRING U-S MISSILE TECHNOLOGY -- A CHARGE CHINA HAS DENIED.
ANALYSTS SAY THE NEW REPORT ABOUT CHINESE-NORTH KOREAN
COOPERATION MAKES THE ATMOSPHERE MORE DIFFICULT IN ADVANCE OF
SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT'S TRIP TO BEIJING NEXT
WEEK, AND A PLANNED VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES IN APRIL BY
CHINESE PRIME MINISTER ZHU RONGJI. (SIGNED)
NEB/SMN/GE
23-Feb-99 1:16 PM EST (1816 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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