DATE=3/9/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-246397
TITLE=CHINA ESPIONAGE (L ONLY)
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING1
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: CHINA HAS DISMISSED CHARGES IT STOLE SENSITIVE NUCLEAR
MISSILE TECHNOLOGY FROM THE UNITED STATES, SAYING SUCH
ALLEGATIONS ARE UNFOUNDED AND HAVE ULTERIOR MOTIVES. V-O-A
CORRESPONDENT ROGER WILKISON REPORTS ON CHINA'S RESPONSE TO THE
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT A LEAK OF NUCLEAR
SECRETS TO CHINA IN THE 1980'S SERIOUSLY HARMED U-S NATIONAL
SECURITY.
TEXT: AS FAR AS CHINA IS CONCERNED, THE CHARGES THAT IT STOLE
NUCLEAR SECRETS FROM THE UNITED STATES ARE BASELESS AND
IRRESPONSIBLE. FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ZHU BANGZAO
--SPEAKING THROUGH AN INTERPRETER -- BLAMES THE ACCUSATIONS ON
VESTED INTERESTS.
/////INTERPRETER ACTUALITY/////
ALL THESE REMARKS ARE UNFOUNDED AND WITH ULTERIOR MOTIVE AND
IRRESPONSIBLE. THIS ALSO DEMONSTRATES A KIND OF TREND AT
PRESENT. THAT IS, SOME PEOPLE WANTED TO HAMPER THE NORMAL
EXPORT BY THE U-S OF SOME HIGH-TECH PRODUCTS TO CHINA AND HAMPER
THE IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHINA / U-S RELATIONS.
/////END ACTUALITY/////
MR. ZHU DID NOT IDENTIFY WHO THE PEOPLE WITH ULTERIOR MOTIVES
ARE, BUT FOREIGN MINISTER TANG JIAXUAN SAID TWO DAYS AGO THAT
THEY ARE OPPONENTS OF CHINA AND OF THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S
POLICY OF ENGAGEMENT WITH CHINA.
U-S ENERGY SECRETARY BILL RICHARDSON ACKNOWLEDGED ON MONDAY THAT
THE LEAK OF NUCLEAR SECRETS FROM THE LOS ALAMOS NUCLEAR
LABORATORY CAUSED SERIOUS DAMAGE TO U-S NATIONAL SECURITY. BUT
HE REJECTED ACCUSATIONS THAT THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION SOFTENED
ITS RESPONSE TO AVOID DAMAGING RELATIONS WITH BEIJING.
THE THEFT OF NUCLEAR INFORMATION HAS BEEN SEIZED ON BY MR.
CLINTON'S OPPONENTS TO CRITICIZE THE ADMINISTRATION'S CHINA
POLICY. U-S / CHINA RELATIONS ARE GOING THROUGH A DOWNTURN
CAUSED BY BEIJING'S CRACKDOWN ON DISSENT AND U-S PLANS TO STUDY
THE FEASIBILITY OF DEPLOYING A MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM IN EAST
ASIA, WHICH CHINA STRONGLY OPPOSES.
BEIJING HAS WARNED WASHINGTON NOT TO INCLUDE TAIWAN UNDER SUCH A
SYSTEM, SAYING SUCH AN ACT WOULD ENCROACH ON ITS SOVEREIGNTY.
CHINA REGARDS TAIWAN AS A WAYWARD PROVINCE. BEIJING ALSO SAYS
RELATIONS WILL IMPROVE ONLY WHEN WASHINGTON ABIDES BY AN
AGREEMENT TO REDUCE AND EVENTUALLY HALT THE SALE OF WEAPONS TO
TAIWAN.
THE "NEW YORK TIMES" REPORTED LAST SATURDAY, THAT CHINA USED
SECRETS STOLEN FROM LOS ALAMOS TO PRODUCE MINIATURE WARHEADS THAT
COULD BE LAUNCHED FROM A SINGLE MISSILE AT MULTIPLE TARGETS.
CHINESE SPOKESMAN ZHU'S ANSWER TO THAT IS THAT THE AMERICAN NEWS
MEDIA ARE DISSEMINATING RUMORS.
ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE FIRING OF A CHINESE-AMERICAN SCIENTIST
SUSPECTED OF LEAKING THE SECRETS TO BEIJING, MR. ZHU SAYS CHINA
IS TRYING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CASE. (SIGNED)
NEB/RW/FC
09-Mar-99 6:28 AM EST (1128 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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