DATE=05/27/99
TYPE=WORLD OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-11311
TITLE=U-S - CHINA SPYING
BYLINE=GARY EDQUIST
TELEPHONE=619-2702
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
CONTENT=
INTRO: NEWSPAPERS AROUND THE WORLD ARE COMMENTING ABOUT THE
FINDINGS OF A 700-PAGE REPORT FROM THE U-S CONGRESS ABOUT
ALLEGATIONS THAT CHINA STOLE U-S NUCLEAR SECRETS. WE HAVE SOME
OF THE EDITORIAL COMMENT NOW FROM ____________ IN TODAY'S WORLD
OPINION ROUNDUP.
TEXT: THE REPORT SAYS CHINA STOLE THE COUNTRY'S MOST SENSITIVE
NUCLEAR WEAPONS DESIGNS BEGINNING IN THE 1970S. BEIJING HAS
DENIED THE CHARGES. MEANWHILE, PRESIDENT CLINTON SAYS HE WILL
IMPLEMENT NEARLY 30 RECOMMENDATIONS TO SAFEGUARD U-S NUCLEAR
SECRETS. FROM CHINA. THERE IS THIS COMMENT IN THE
ENGLISH-LANGUAGE PEOPLES DAILY IN BEIJING.
VOICE: BY FABRICATING STORIES ABOUT CHINA'S NUCLEAR ESPIONAGE
AND POLITICAL DONATIONS, THE UNITED STATES IS FOSTERING
AN ANTI-CHINA ATTITUDE AND A CHINA THREAT THEORY, AND
DIVERTING PEOPLE'S ATTENTION FROM THE (MAY 7 U-S)
BOMBING OF THE CHINESE EMBASSY IN BELGRADE.
TEXT: IN HONG KONG, THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST WRITES THAT
BEIJING'S CLAIM THAT IT NEVER STOLE CLASSIFIED INFORMATION CAN BE
DISMISSED, AND GOES ON TO WRITE:
VOICE: WHAT IS LESS CLEAR IS EXACTLY HOW IMPORTANT THESE
REVELATIONS MAY PROVE. BUT THEY CERTAINLY WILL FURTHER
DEGRADE THE ALREADY RATHER GRIM RELATIONS BETWEEN
BEIJING AND WASHINGTON, AT LEAST THROUGH THE AMERICAN
(PRESIDENTIAL) ELECTION CAMPAIGN.
TEXT: THE ASAHI IN JAPAN CONCLUDES THAT THE REPORT MAY HURT U-S
- CHINESE RELATIONS.
VOICE: ... IT IS ALMOST CERTAIN THAT CONGRESS WILL INTENSIFY ITS
CRITICISM OF THE ADMINISTRATION'S CHINA POLICY, WHILE BECOMING
INCREASINGLY WARY OF CHINA'S MODERNIZATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND
MISSILES. ... IF THE CHINESE ESPIONAGE CASE BECOMES A SERIOUS
POLITICAL ISSUE IN THE (U-S) PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ... IT WILL
DEAL A SERIOUS BLOW TO (THE ADMINISTRATION'S) EFFORTS TO BETTER
THE SINO-AMERICAN RELATIONSHIP.... AFTER THE MISTAKEN NATO
BOMBING OF THE CHINESE EMBASSY IN BELGRADE.
TEXT: THE FINANCIAL TIMES IN BRITAIN WRITES THAT THE CLINTON
ADMINISTRATION CANNOT ESCAPE ITS SHARE OF THE BLAME FOR THE THEFT
OF NUCLEAR SECRETS.
VOICE: THE ADMINISTRATION'S SLOWNESS IN REACTING TO SECURITY
FAILURES MADE IT AN EASY TARGET FOR CHINA'S AMBITIOUS
SPIES. THESE FAILINGS ARE JUST THE LATEST SYMPTOMS OF A
DEEP MUDDLE OVER THE DIRECTION OF U-S POLICY TOWARDS
CHINA. /// OPT /// ... WASHINGTON NEEDS TO BE CLEAR IN
ITS RESPONSE. IT SHOULD DRIVE UP THE COST TO CHINA OF
FUTURE MISBEHAVIOR, WHILE ALSO ENGAGING IT ON THE
ECONOMIC FRONT. THAT MEANS BEING CONSISTENTLY TOUGH ON
SECURITY AND POSITIVE ON TRADE. /// END OPT ///
TEXT: ALSO IN BRITAIN, THE INDEPENDENT IS WRITING:
VOICE: IT IS DISQUIETING TO FIND OUT HOW THOROUGHLY CHINESE
SPIES HAVE PENETRATED AMERICA'S NUCLEAR RESEARCH
LABORATORIES.... NOT ONLY DOES THIS EXPOSE AN ALMOST
INCONCEIVABLY SLOPPY ATTITUDE TO THE PROTECTION OF SUCH
IMPORTANT INFORMATION, BUT THE ATTEMPTS OF THE CLINTON
ADMINISTRATION TO AVOID ITS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS
DEBACLE ALSO SHOW HOW DIFFICULT THE WEST NOW FINDS IT TO
DEAL WITH AN ECONOMICALLY AND POLITICALLY RESURGENT
CHINA. /// OPT /// ... AMERICA SHOULD FACE UP TO CHINA
BY REAFFIRMING ITS SUPPORT FOR EAST ASIAN SECURITY.
AMERICAN WILL GAIN GREATER ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND MORE
IMPROVEMENTS TO HUMAN RIGHTS BY STANDING UPRIGHT RATHER
THAN KOWTOWING BEFORE CHINA. WITH CHINA, THE UNITED
STATES MUST BE FAIR BUT FIRM IF THE PACIFIC CENTURY IS
NOT TO BEGIN WITH A COLD SNAP. /// END OPT ///
/// OPT ///
TEXT: IN GERMANY, THE FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE WRITES THAT THERE
IS A POLITICAL SIDE TO THE VERBAL ATTACKS ON CHINA.
VOICE: THIS ESPIONAGE AFFAIR HAS, NEVERTHELESS, BEEN USED FOR A
POLITICAL ATTACK AGAINST CHINA AND THE CHINA POLICY OF
THE U-S PRESIDENT. IT IS ANOTHER FACET TO THE CHINA
THREAT IMAGE, WHICH MAINLY REPUBLICAN CIRCLES ARE TRYING
TO PAINT.
/// END OPT ///
TEXT: A COMMENT IN GERMANY'S FRANKFURTER RUNDSCHAU WARNS OF WHAT
IT CALLS A "NEW POLITICAL ICE AGE" BETWEEN BEIJING AND
WASHINGTON.
VOICE: (PRESIDENT) CLINTON CAN NOW ABANDON HIS HOPES FOR
CROWNING HIS 'STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP' WITH CHINA THIS
YEAR WITH THE ACCEPTANCE OF CHINA IN THE W-T-O (WORLD
TRADE ORGANIZATION. HE SHOULD BE HAPPY IF CONGRESS,
WHERE THE HAWKS DOMINATE, EVEN RENEW THE M-F-N (MOST
FAVORED NATION TRADE STATUS FOR) CHINA. ...IT IS NOT
VERY REASSURING FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD TO SEE THAT
THE UNITED STATES AND THE EMERGING MAJOR POWER OF CHINA
ARE INCREASINGLY ENTERING INTO A CONFRONTATION.
TEXT: WITH THAT, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF COMMENT ON THE
WORLD OPINION ROUNDUP.
NEB/GE/KL
27-May-99 10:03 AM EDT (1403 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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