DATE=3/19/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-246901
TITLE= U-S / CHINA ATTITUDES (L ONLY)
BYLINE= DON BENSON
DATELINE= WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A NEW PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY INDICATES MORE AMERICANS HAVE
A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD CHINA THAN EVER BEFORE. VOA'S DON
BENSON SAYS THE POLL IS A REFLECTION OF THE WAY U-S CITIZENS ARE
REACTING TO A DELUGE OF NEWS STORIES ABOUT CHINA'S INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS.
TEXT: IT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR AMERICANS TO TUNE INTO RADIO OR
TELEVISION NEWSCASTS AND NOT HEAR STORIES ABOUT CHINA.
STORIES FILL THE AIRWAVES ABOUT CHINA BEING ACCUSED OF STEALING
NUCLEAR SECRETS FROM A U-S LABORATORY, OR CHINESE AUTHORITIES
JAILING POLITICAL DISSIDENTS, OR AMERICAN MOVIE STARS PROMOTING
FREEDOM FOR CHINESE-CONTROLLED TIBET. LATELY, MUCH OF THE NEWS
ABOUT CHINA HAS BEEN NEGATIVE, DESPITE BEIJING'S EFFORTS TO
COUNTER THE BAD PUBLICITY.
IN THE UNITED STATES, THE GALLUP POLLING ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN
SURVEYING AMERICANS' ATTITUDES TOWARD CHINA FOR YEARS. IN ITS
LATEST POLL, CONDUCTED MARCH 12TH THROUGH 14TH, SIX OUT OF EVERY
10 AMERICANS EXPRESSED A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD CHINA -- MORE
THAN AT ANY OTHER TIME SINCE THE TWO COUNTRIES ESTABLISHED
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS IN 1979.
ANOTHER RECENT POLL THAT GALLUP CONDUCTED WITH THE CHICAGO
COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS INDICATED THAT SIX OUT OF 10
AMERICANS ALSO BELIEVE CHINA'S DEVELOPMENT AS A WORLD POWER IS A
CRITICAL THREAT TO U-S NATIONAL INTERESTS.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE GALLUP ORGANIZATION, FRANK NEWPORT, SAYS
AMERICAN ATTITUDES TOWARD CHINA REACHED A POSITIVE HIGH IN THE
LATE 1980'S. BUT HE SAYS ALL THAT SHIFTED DRAMATICALLY AFTER
JUNE, 1989, WHEN CHINESE TROOPS MASSACRED UNARMED DEMONSTRATORS
AROUND TIANANMEN SQUARE IN BEIJING.
// BEGIN ACTUALITY //
WE POLLED IN FEBRUARY OF '89, AND THAT'S WHEN WE HAD
THAT PEAK OF 72 PERCENT FAVORABLE. THEN WE POLLED AGAIN
IN AUGUST OF '89, WHICH WAS JUST A MONTH OR TWO AFTER
TIANANMEN SQUARE, AND THAT HAD FALLEN ALL THE WAY DOWN
TO JUST A THIRD FAVORABLE. SO THAT WAS A HUGE DROP-OFF
THAT CAME WITHIN A FEW MONTHS.
// END ACTUALITY //
ANOTHER ASPECT OF AMERICAN ATTITUDES IS THE WAY PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT
PRESIDENT CLINTON'S POLICY OF CONSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT TOWARD
BEIJING. MR. NEWPORT SAYS THE GALLUP SURVEY FOUND AN EVEN SPLIT
IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT AND THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE
PRESIDENT ON THIS ISSUE.
// BEGIN ACTUALITY //
THAT'S VERY VERY PARTISAN. REPUBLICANS ARE VERY
CRITICAL OF HIS CHINA POLICY. THAT IS, THE
RANK-AND-FILE REPUBLICANS IN THIS COUNTRY. DEMOCRATS,
AS WE MIGHT EXPECT, ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF CLINTON'S
CHINA POLICY. I WOULD SUMMARIZE THAT BY SAYING THAT,
DESPITE ALL OF THE RECENT PUBLICITY ABOUT CHINA,
CLINTON'S CHINA POLICIES, AT THIS POINT, ARE NEITHER A
DISASTER, AS SOME MIGHT THINK THEY WERE IN THE EYES OF
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC. BUT NEITHER ARE THEY A TRIUMPH AT
THIS POINT.
// END ACTUALITY //
CHINA'S PREMIER, ZHU RONGJI, IS SCHEDULED TO VISIT THE UNITED
STATES IN APRIL. THIS WILL BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR AMERICANS
TO SEE A TOP CHINESE LEADER ON THEIR OWN SOIL.
CHINA'S PRESIDENT, JIANG ZEMIN, VISITED IN LATE 1997, AND
PRESIDENT CLINTON RETURN THE VISIT WHEN HE WENT TO CHINA LAST
JUNE. (SIGNED)
NEB/DB/KL
19-Mar-99 2:18 PM EST (1918 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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