DATE=4/10/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247872
TITLE=U-S/CHINA / ZHU SPEECH (L)CQ
BYLINE=STEPHANIE MANN
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: CHINESE PREMIER ZHU RONGJI CONTINUES HIS U-S TOUR WITH A
VISIT TO DENVER, COLORADO, SATURDAY. AT HIS LAST EVENT IN
WASHINGTON FRIDAY EVENING, PREMIER ZHU MADE A BANQUET SPEECH AND
CAST DOUBT ON WHETHER CHINA AND THE UNITED STATES CAN REACH A
TRADE DEAL THAT WOULD PAVE THE WAY FOR CHINA'S ENTRY INTO THE
WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION. CORRESPONDENT STEPHANIE MANN REPORTS.
TEXT: PREMIER ZHU RONGJI SAYS NEW COMPLICATIONS HAVE ARISEN IN
THE LATEST TRADE NEGOTIATIONS. HE SAYS CHINA HAS MADE MAJOR
CONCESSIONS, BUT THE U-S SIDE STILL WANTS MORE BEFORE IT WILL
AGREE TO LET CHINA JOIN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION.
AFTER PRESIDENT CLINTON AND PREMIER ZHU MET AT THE WHITE HOUSE
THURSDAY, U-S OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED THE TWO SIDES MADE SIGNIFICANT
PROGRESS ON TRADE ISSUES, ADDING THEY EXPECT TO CLEAR UP THE REST
BEFORE THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION MEETING IN SEATTLE IN
NOVEMBER.
HOWEVER, IN HIS SPEECH FRIDAY, PREMIER ZHU INDICATED THE U-S
ANNOUNCEMENT WAS PREMATURE. MR. ZHU POINTED TO CHINA'S DECISION
TO LIFT RESTRICTIONS ON IMPORTS OF U-S WHEAT, CITRUS PRODUCTS AND
BEEF, SAYING CHINA IS READY TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT ON THESE ITEMS.
CHINA ALSO AGREED TO CUT TARIFFS ON SOME U-S GOODS AND ALLOW U-S
TELECOMMUNCATIONS COMPANIES SIGNIFICANT HOLDINGS IN CHINESE PHONE
COMPANIES.
HOWEVER, PREMIER ZHU, SPEAKING THROUGH A TRANSLATOR AND WITHOUT
ANY NOTES OR TEXT, SAID FURTHER CONCESSIONS WOULD HAVE TO WAIT.
// ZHU / TRANSLATOR ACT //
I FEEL THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT ON
MARKET ACCESS. BUT THE AMERICAN SIDE WANTS STILL MORE.
FOR INSTANCE, THEY WANT US TO PERMIT A GREATER
INVESTMENT RATIO AND FOR US TO LOWER OUR CUSTOMS
TARIFFS. AND I SAID THESE ARE ALL POSSIBLE, BUT IN A
FEW YEARS' TIME.
// END ACT //
MR. ZHU WARNED THAT IF THE UNITED STATES DEMANDED TOO MUCH TOO
SOON, THE WHOLE PACKAGE MAY BE IN JEOPARDY. IN HIS WORDS -- IN
THE END, YOU MAY END UP WITH NOTHING.
// OPT // MR. ZHU ARRIVED LATE AT THE BANQUET, SAYING HE LEFT THE
TOP NEGOTIATORS FOR BOTH SIDES STILL ARGUING OVER THE
DIFFERENCES. PRESIDENT CLINTON'S TOP CHINA ADVISOR, KENNETH
LIEBERTHAL, AND CHINESE STATE COUNCILLOR WU YI WERE EXPECTED TO
ATTEND THE DINNER, BUT NEITHER DID, AND THEY WERE BELIEVED TO BE
CONTINUING THE NEGOTIATIONS. // END OPT //
THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN UNDER PRESSURE FROM U-S LABOR
UNIONS AND THE TEXTILE AND STEEL INDUSTRIES TO SEEK MORE CHINESE
CONCESSIONS. U-S OFFICIALS ARE REPORTED AS SAYING THEY NEED THE
EXTRA CONCESSIONS IN ORDER TO WIN CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL OF THE
WHOLE DEAL.
PREMIER ZHU SAYS HE UNDERSTANDS THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE IN
WASHINGTON MAY NOT BE CONDUCIVE TO CONGRESS SUPPORTING A FULL
TRADE AGREEMENT WITH CHINA. BUT HE SAYS HE MET FRIDAY MORNING
WITH SEVERAL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THEY LED HIM TO BELIEVE THAT
CONGRESS WOULD APPROVE THE PARTIAL DEAL AS IT STANDS NOW.
THE BANQUET WAS SPONSORED BY SEVEN AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS WHOSE
MEMBERS ARE INTERESTED IN PROMOTING BETTER TIES WITH CHINA. THE
DINNER GUESTS GAVE MR. ZHU AN EXTENDED ROUND OF APPLAUSE WHEN HE
ASKED FOR THEIR SUPPORT IN MAKING THE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS
SUCCESSFUL.
PREMIER ZHU WAS ASKED ABOUT THE FEAR HELD BY SOME AMERICANS THAT
AS CHINA GROWS STRONGER IT COULD POSE A THREAT TO THE UNITED
STATES. MR. ZHU DISMISSED SUCH CONCERNS, POINTING TO THE U-S
LEAD IN NUCLEAR WEAPONRY.
// OPT // HE NOTED PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID AT THURSDAY'S NEWS
CONFERENCE THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS SIX-THOUSAND NUCLEAR
WEAPONS COMPARED TO 20 OR 30 IN CHINA. MR. ZHU SAID HE'S NOT
SURE HOW MR. CLINTON KNOWS THE NUMBER OF CHINESE WEAPONS --
DRAWING LAUGHTER FROM THE AUDIENCE WITH HIS INDIRECT REFERENCE TO
THE CONTROVERSY OVER ALLEGED CHINESE SPYING AT U-S NUCLEAR
LABORATORIES.
// OPT // ZHU - TRANSLATOR ACT TWO //
BUT I DO AGREE WITH HIS POINT THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS
LOTS OF THEM AND CHINA HAS VERY FEW OF THEM, AND
THEREFORE THERE IS NO WAY THAT CHINA COULD POSE A THREAT
TO THE U-S.
// END ACT // END OPT //
PREMIER ZHU SAID AMERICANS SHOULD SEE CHINA AS THEIR BIGGEST
MARKET, NOT THEIR BIGGEST THREAT.
// REST OPTIONAL //
OUTSIDE THE HOTEL WHERE THE DINNER WAS HELD, ABOUT 50 PROTESTERS
WAVED SIGNS CALLING FOR "FREE TIBET, NOT FREE TRADE" AND CHANTED
SLOGANS AGAINST THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.
// CHANTING ACT - ESTABLISH, FADE UNDER //
FREE TIBET NOW... FREE TIBET NOW... STOP THE KILLINGS
IN TIBET. ... CHINA OUT OF TIBET .... SHAME SHAME
CHINA...
// END ACT //
GROUPS OF PROTESTERS HAVE APPEARED AT EACH OF MR. ZHU'S PUBLIC
EVENTS IN THE UNITED STATES. HIS TRIP BEGAN IN LOS ANGELES LAST
TUESDAY AND CONTINUES WITH VISITS TO DENVER (COLORADO), CHICAGO,
NEW YORK CITY AND BOSTON (MASSACHUSETTS.) (SIGNED)
NEB/SMN/PLM
10-Apr-99 4:05 AM EDT (0805 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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