DATE=4/7/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247720
TITLE=ZHU / L-A CHINESE / L&S
BYLINE=MIKE O'SULLIVAN
DATELINE=LOS ANGELES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: CHINESE PREMIER ZHU RONGJI SAYS CHINA WILL NOT DEVALUE
ITS CURRENCY, DESPITE A SLOWDOWN IN EXPORTS CAUSED BY MAINTAINING
THE CURRENCY'S VALUE. THE CHINESE LEADER ADDRESSED THE
CHINESE-AMERICAN COMMUNITY OF LOS ANGELES, TUESDAY NIGHT.
V-O-A'S MIKE O'SULLIVAN REPORTS MR. ZHU OFFERED A SAMPLING OF HIS
ARGUMENTS AND HIS DYNAMIC SPEAKING STYLE ON THE FIRST STOP OF HIS
U-S TOUR.
TEXT: ZHU RONGJI SAYS CHINA IS DOING WELL IN ITS EFFORTS AT
ECONOMIC REFORM. HE SAYS THE COUNTRY'S GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT IN
THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF THIS YEAR IS EIGHT-POINT-FIVE PERCENT --
WELL ABOVE PROJECTIONS. HE SAYS CUTS IN THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
WORK FORCE HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND A SOCIAL
SECURITY SYSTEM IS NOW IN PLACE FOR LAID-OFF WORKERS.
AND HE PROMISES CHINA WILL NOT DEVALUE IT'S CURRENCY.
/// OPTIONAL ZHU CHINESE ACTUALITY, IN AND UNDER ///
// OPT // MR. ZHU SAYS ALTHOUGH CHINA HAS EXPERIENCED A DECLINE
IN EXPORTS, HE RESTATED HIS COUNTRY'S COMMITMENT NOT TO DEVALUE.
// END OPT //
IN AN ANIMATED TALK WITH WEST COAST CHINESE-AMERICAN LEADERS, MR.
ZHU TOUCHED ON SOME OF THE DIFFICULT ISSUES HE WILL ADDRESS IN
TALKS WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON AND CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS. THEY
INCLUDE THE U-S TRADE DEFICIT WITH CHINA; HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA;
AND ALLEGATIONS HIS NATION HAS STOLEN U-S TECHNOLOGY.
/// REST OPTIONAL ///
MR. ZHU ADDRESSED EACH OF THESE ISSUES WITH A COMBINATION OF
ARGUMENT AND HUMOR. HIS SPEAKING STYLE IS DYNAMIC AND
EXTEMPORANEOUS AND HE DREW ENTHUSIASTIC APPLAUSE FROM A RECEPTIVE
AUDIENCE.
PRO-DEMOCRACY PROTESTERS OUTSIDE THE HALL WHERE THE PROGRAM TOOK
PLACE WERE A REMINDER OF THE SOME OF THE CRITICISMS MR. ZHU MUST
LATER FACE. AND, HE PROMISED TO TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE AT OTHER
STOPS ON HIS TOUR.
THE CHINESE LEADER NOTES THE POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE IN THE UNITED
STATES IS NOT IDEAL FOR THE VISIT. HE JOKED HE MAY HAVE HIS FACE
BLOODIED, BY THE TIME IT IS OVER. BUT HE SAYS HE IS UNDERTAKING
THE JOURNEY IN THE INTEREST OF LONG-TERM RELATIONS BETWEEN THE
TWO COUNTRIES.
OTHER STOPS ON HIS U-S TOUR INCLUDE DENVER, CHICAGO, NEW YORK AND
BOSTON, AS WELL AS WASHINGTON D-C. (SIGNED)
NEB / MOS / WD / WD
07-Apr-99 3:10 AM EDT (0710 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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