DATE=5/27/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249861
TITLE=CHINA / U-S (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: CHINA HAS SHRUGGED OFF CALLS BY TOP U-S LEGISLATORS TO
FREEZE NEGOTIATIONS ON BEIJING'S ENTRY INTO THE WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATION. OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL NOT SACRIFICE CHINA'S
INTERESTS IN ORDER TO JOIN THE GROUP. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ROGER
WILKISON REPORTS, CHINA IS ALSO STEPPING UP ITS ATTACKS ON A U-S
CONGRESSIONAL REPORT THAT SAYS BEIJING STOLE U-S NUCLEAR WEAPONS
TECHNOLOGY.
TEXT: CHINA SEEMS TO HAVE HARDENED ITS STANCE ON W-T-O
MEMBERSHIP. THE STANCE COMES JUST WEEKS AFTER PREMIER ZHU RONGJI
OFFERED CONCESSIONS TO WASHINGTON, IN A BID TO JOIN THE WORLD
TRADE BODY BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR. CHINA APPEARS TO HAVE
BACKED AWAY FROM ITS OFFER, FOLLOWING NATO'S BOMBING OF THE
CHINESE EMBASSY IN YUGOSLAVIA EARLIER THIS MONTH. ADDING FUEL TO
CHINA'S FURY OVER THE BOMBING, FOR WHICH WASHINGTON APOLOGIZED,
IS A REPORT ISSUED THIS WEEK BY A SPECIAL U-S CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEE, ACCUSING CHINA OF PILFERING U-S NUCLEAR SECRETS OVER
THE PAST 20 YEARS.
CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ZHU BANGZAO --SPEAKING
THURSDAY THROUGH AN INTERPRETER-- DISMISSED SUGGESTIONS BY THE
CHAIRMEN OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES OVERSEEING FOREIGN
AFFAIRS, THAT MR. CLINTON PUT W-T-O NEGOTIATIONS WITH CHINA ON
HOLD. MR. ZHU SAYS HIS COUNTRY WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP WHETHER
OR NOT IT IS PART OF W-T-O, AND HE INSISTS IT WILL ONLY JOIN THE
GROUP ON THE TERMS GRANTED A DEVELOPING COUNTRY. MEMBERSHIP
UNDER THOSE TERMS WOULD ALLOW CHINA MORE TIME TO LOWER TRADE
BARRIERS.
//INTERPRETER ACTUALITY//
AS A DEVELOPING COUNTRY, CHINA CAN ONLY UNDERTAKE OBLIGATIONS
THAT ARE IN LINE WITH ITS OWN CAPABILITIES AT PRESENT. CHINA'S
ENTRY INTO W-T-O IS NOT ONLY IN THE INTEREST OF CHINA. WITHOUT
CHINA, THE W-T-O WILL NOT BE COMPLETE. AND CHINA'S ENTRY IS
ALSO IN THE INTEREST OF W-T-O ITSELF AND WORLD TRADE. THAT IS
WHY CHINA WILL NOT SACRIFICE ITS FUNDAMENTAL INTEREST TO JOIN
W-T-O
//END ACTUALITY//
MR. ZHU AGAIN BLASTED THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE HEADED BY
REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTOPHER COX, THAT ACCUSED BEIJING
OF SPYING ON U-S NUCLEAR WEAPONS LABORATORIES. CHINA SAYS THE
CHARGES ARE GROUNDLESS.
//INTERPRETER ACTUALITY//
COX AND HIS LIKE DO NOT REFRAIN FROM TAKING ALL KINDS OF
DESPICABLE MEANS AND EVEN GO TO EXTREMES TO CREATE RUMORS AND TO
CONFUSE THE PUBLIC AND TO WHIP UP ANTI-CHINA SENTIMENT AND TO
SPREAD THE CHINA THREAT THEORY. CHINA HAS NEVER STOLEN ANY
NUCLEAR SECRETS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE UNITED
STATES.
//END ACTUALITY//
AN OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER --THE CHINA YOUTH DAILY-- SUGGESTS THE
ALLEGATIONS CONTAINED IN THE COX REPORT ARE PART OF AN EFFORT BY
U-S INTELLIGENCE AND DEFENSE INDUSTRIES TO PORTRAY CHINA AS A
THREAT, SO AS TO INCREASE THEIR BUDGETS. ANOTHER NEWSPAPER
--THE CHINA DAILY--FRETTED THURSDAY THAT THE CONGRESSIONAL
REPORT WILL TARNISH CHINA'S IMAGE AS A COUNTRY DESERVING SYMPATHY
BECAUSE OF THE EMBASSY BOMBING. (SIGNED)
NEB/RW/GC/FC
27-May-99 7:12 AM EDT (1112 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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