DATE=5/25/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249783
TITLE=CHINA / CAPITOL HILL (L)
BYLINE=PAULA WOLFSON
DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A NEW CONGRESSIONAL REPORT SAYS CHINA STOLE SECRET
INFORMATION ABOUT AMERICA'S MOST SOPHISTICATED NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
CORRESPONDENT PAULA WOLFSON TELLS US THE REPORT WAS THE WORK OF A
SPECIAL HOUSE COMMITTEE SET UP TO INVESTIGATE TECHNOLOGY
TRANSFERS WITH MILITARY IMPLICATIONS.
TEXT: COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN CHRISTOPHER COX SAYS CHINA TRIED TO
STEAL SECRETS DURING A PERIOD OF DECADES. HE SAYS CHINESE
ESPIONAGE MAY BE CONTINUING.
/// COX ACT ///
THE P-R-C HAS MOUNTED A WIDE SPREAD EFFORT TO OBTAIN U-S
MILITARY TECHNOLOGY BY ANY MEANS: LEGAL OR ILLEGAL.
/// END ACT ///
THE CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN LED A BIPARTISAN PANEL SET UP LAST YEAR
BY THEN-SPEAKER NEWT GINGRICH. THE ORIGINAL FOCUS WAS
ALLEGATIONS TWO AMERICAN SATELLITE MANUFACTURERS INADVERTENTLY
PASSED TECHNOLOGY WITH MILITARY APPLICATIONS TO CHINA.
BUT WITHIN A FEW MONTHS, THE INQUIRY TOOK A DIFFERENT TURN WHEN
THE COMMITTEE DISCOVERED EVIDENCE OF CHINESE ESPIONAGE AT
AMERICAN WEAPONS LABORATORIES.
/// COX ACT ///
. AND WHAT WE WERE SAD TO LEARN IS THAT THE PEOPLE'S
REPUBLIC OF CHINA HAS STOLEN CLASSIFIED INFORMATION ON
EVERY CURRENTLY DEPLOYED WARHEARD IN THE U-S BALLISTIC
MISSILE ARSENAL. THE P-R-C HAS ALSO STOLEN INFORMATION
ON THE NEUTRON BOMB, WHICH THE UNITED STATES HAS NOT YET
DEPLOYED.
/// END ACT ///
THE LENGTHY REPORT SAYS THE ESPIONAGE TOOK PLACE UNDER FOUR U-S
PRESIDENTS: CARTER, REAGAN, BUSH AND CLINTON. THE TOP DEMOCRAT
ON THE COMMITTEE, NORMAN DICKS OF WASHINGTON STATE, CALLS IT A
COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE FAILURE OF HISTORIC PROPORTIONS.
BUT HE PARTS WAYS WITH CHAIRMAN COX ON THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE
DONE TO U-S NATIONAL SECURITY.
/// DICKS ACT ///
LET US KEEP THIS REPORT IN PERSPECTIVE. THE UNITED
STATES STILL POSSESSES OVERWHELMING NUCLEAR SUPERIORITY
OVER CHINA WITH MORE THAN SIX-THOUSAND STRATEGIC NUCLEAR
WARHEADS CURRENTLY IN OUR INVENTORY, COMPARED TO CHINA'S
TOTAL OF ABOUT TWO-DOZEN.
/// END ACT ///
// OPT // THE PANEL COMPLETED ITS WORK IN LATE 1998, AT A TIME
WHEN CONGRESS WAS CONSUMED WITH THE PENDING HOUSE VOTE TO CHARGE
PRESIDENT CLINTON WITH IMPEACHABLE OFFENSES. THE FIVE
REPUBLICANS AND FOUR DEMOCRATS UNANIMOUSLY BACK THE REPORT. //
END OPT //
CONGRESSMAN DICKS SAYS THERE IS PLENTY OF BLAME TO GO AROUND:
THAT NEGLIGENT U-S OFFICIALS CLEARED THE WAY FOR THE ESPIONAGE TO
OCCUR. HE SAYS THE UNITED MUST MAINTAIN TIES WITH CHINA, BUT IN
A REALISTIC WAY.
/// DICKS ACT ///
AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE THIS REPORT CREATE A
CIRCUMSTANCE IN WHICH WE GO TO A COLD WAR SETTING WITH
CHINA. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A MISTAKE.
/// END ACT ///
THE RELEASE OF THE REPORT COMES AT A TENSE TIME IN SINO-AMERICAN
RELATIONS. CONGRESS IS PREPARING FOR ITS ANNUAL DEBATE ON TRADE
RELATIONS WITH CHINA, AND JUST HOURS AFTER THE REPORT WAS
RELEASED MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE UNANIMOUSLY PASSED A RESOLUTION
MARKING THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CRACKDOWN ON PRO-DEMOCRACY
DEMONSTRATORS IN BEIJING'S TIANANMEN SQUARE.
THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAS DENIED CONDUCTING ESPIONAGE AGAINST
THE UNITED STATES. OFFICIALS IN BEIJING SAY THE ALLEGATIONS
AMOUNT TO SLANDER AGAINST CHINA. (SIGNED)
NEB/PW/RAE
25-May-99 2:37 PM EDT (1837 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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