DATE=5/19/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249589
TITLE=CONGRESS-CHINA REPORT (L-ONLY/ONITER)
BYLINE=DAVID SWAN
DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A SPECIAL U-S CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE IS CLOSE TO
RELEASING ITS LONG-AWAITED REPORT ON ALLEGED CHINESE SPYING AND
BEIJING'S ACQUISITION OF AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY. THE DOCUMENT IS
EXPECTED AS SOON AS TOMORROW (THURSDAY) - AND AS V-O-A'S DAVID
SWAN REPORTS, IT HAS ALREADY TRIGGERED A MAJOR CONTROVERSY.
TEXT: WHILE THE REPORT IS STILL OFFICIALLY CLASSIFIED, MANY OF
ITS FINDINGS ARE KNOWN. THIS INCLUDES ALLEGATIONS THAT A
TAIWANESE-BORN SCIENTIST GAVE CHINA SOME OF THE U-S GOVERNMENT'S
MOST GUARDED SECRETS ABOUT NUCLEAR WARHEADS.
BUT THE HEAD OF THE INVESTIGATING PANEL, REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN
CHRISTOPHER COX, SAYS THE REPORT GOES BEYOND THE ESPIONAGE PROBE.
HE SAYS IT COVERS TRANSFERS OF SUPER-SPEED COMPUTERS, THE
"STEALTH" MATERIAL USED TO BUILD RADAR-EVADING WARPLANES, AND
OTHER MILITARY HARDWARE. THERE WILL ALSO BE CHAPTERS ON
SATELLITE AND ROCKET TECHNOLOGY, WHICH BEIJING OBTAINED THROUGH
CONTACTS WITH AMERICAN AEROSPACE FIRMS.
MR. COX SAYS THE REPORT IS NOT AN ATTACK ON THE CLINTON
ADMINISTRATION, ALTHOUGH IT WILL DESCRIBE WHAT HE CALLS WINNERS
AND LOSERS. THE CONGRESSMAN REJECTS ATTEMPTS TO DOWNPLAY THE
IMPACT OF THE CASE.
// COX ACT //
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME WHO HAVE SAID THAT "EVERYBODY
SPIES." I THINK YOU WILL SEE THAT NOT EVERYBODY DOES
WHAT THE PRC HAS DONE. FIRST OF ALL, NO NATION HAS
SUCCEEDED IN STEALING SO MUCH. SECOND, NATIONS THAT SPY
HAVE NOT USED THIS INFORMATION IN ORDER TO BUILD WEAPONS
TO TARGET THE UNITED STATES.
// END ACT //
CHINA HAS REPEATEDLY DENIED SPYING. WHILE THE PRIME SUSPECT (WEN
HO LEE) HAS BEEN FIRED FROM A NUCLEAR WEAPONS LAB, HE HAS NOT
BEEN FORMALLY CHARGED. BUT SEVERAL OTHER CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES ARE STILL INVESTIGATING THE CASE, WHICH HAS ALREADY
GIVEN FRESH AMMUNITION TO CRITICS OF PRESIDENT CLINTON'S CHINA
POLICY. (SIGNED)
NEB/DS/WFR
19-May-99 6:42 PM EDT (2242 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
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