DATE=05/27/99
TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-11312
TITLE=MORE ON U-S / CHINA SPYING
BYLINE=GARY EDQUIST
TELEPHONE=619-2702
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
CONTENT=
INTRO: EDITORIAL WRITERS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE CONTINUING TO
COMMENT ON THE RELEASE (EARLIER THIS WEEK/TUESDAY) OF A
CONGRESSIONAL REPORT ALLEGING CHINA HAS STOLEN U-S NUCLEAR
WEAPONS SECRETS. WE HAVE SOME EDITORIAL COMMENT NOW FROM
____________ IN TODAY'S U-S OPINION ROUNDUP.
TEXT: WHAT IS NEEDED NOW, WRITES THE "PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER" IN
ITS EDITORIAL ABOUT CHINA'S SPYING EFFORTS, IS -- ACCOUNTABILITY
AND ACTION.
VOICE: /// OPT /// CHINA'S DETERMINATION TO GET
STATE-OF-THE-ART NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY BY STEALTH -- AND
ITS SUCCESS IN DOING SO -- REQUIRE U-S POLICY MAKERS TO
TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT THIS SO-CALLED "STRATEGIC PARTNER,'
AS THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION CALLS IT. /// END OPT ///
... THIS REPORT IS A REALITY CHECK FOR ANYONE WHO
ENVISIONED BILL CLINTON AND CHINESE LEADER JIANG ZEMIN
SKIPPING HAND-IN-HAND ACROSS THE BRIDGE TO THE 21ST
CENTURY. THE RIGHT RESPONSE TO THIS INEXCUSABLE
BREAKDOWN IN SECURITY IS TO HOLD OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE
FOR THEIR ACTIONS AND THEIR INACTION AND TO IMPLEMENT
THE REPORT'S SOUNDS IDEAS FOR MITIGATING THE HARM AND
PREVENTING NEW EPISODES.
TEXT: THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER, "U-S-A TODAY", WRITES THAT IF
THERE IS ANY BRIGHT SIDE TO THE SPYING REVELATIONS -- IT IS THAT
AMERICANS MAY FINALLY BE REALIZING THAT CHINA IS FAR MORE THAN A
LAND OF CHEAP CALCULATORS AND GARLIC SHRIMP. ON A MORE SERIOUS
NOTE, THE NEWSPAPER ADDS:
VOICE: /// OPT /// COMPETITION (WITH CHINA) IS INEVITABLE.
BUT HOW THE U-S ACTS NOW WILL HELP DETERMINE WHETHER
THAT COMPETITION WILL BE MILITARY, LIKE OUR COLD WAR
RIVALRY WITH THE SOVIETS, OR HEALTHY, AS HAS BEEN OUR
POSTWAR RIVALRY WITH EUROPEAN NATIONS, WHICH TOGETHER
ARE OUR ECONOMIC EQUALS. /// END OPT /// ... THE RIGHT
PATH FOR RELATIONS BALANCES ECONOMIC ENGAGEMENT THAT
PUSHES CHINA TOWARD DEMOCRACY WITH WARINESS ABOUT
CHINA'S RISE AND ITS AUTHORITARIAN WAYS. WITHOUT AN
UNDERSTANDING DEEPER THAN WHAT HAS BEEN EVIDENT IN
RECENT WEEKS, THE UNITED STATES IS DETERMINED TO CAREEN
DANGEROUSLY FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER.
TEXT: THE NEW YORK POST ADVISES IN ITS EDITORIAL THAT -- HEADS
MUST ROLL -- AS A RESULT OF THE SPY CASE.
VOICE: /// OPT /// ... PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS BEEN LESS THAN
HONEST WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ABOUT THE EXTENT OF
CHINESE ESPIONAGE ON HIS WATCH. AS RECENTLY AS
TWO-MONTHS AGO, HE INSISTED THAT ANY SPYING OCCURRED 'IN
THE MID 1980'S, NOT IN THE 1990S.' /// END OPT /// ...
THE WHITE HOUSE EAGERLY WANTS TO END THE WHOLE THING
WITH THE (CONGRESSIONAL) REPORT, WHOSE RECOMMENDATIONS
IT HAS ALREADY MOSTLY ADOPTED. BUT THAT WON'T BE
ENOUGH. HEADS HAVE TO ROLL, STARTING WITH (NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISER) SANDY BERGER'S. ... A SECURITY BREACH
OF THIS MAGNITUDE MANDATES PRECISELY THE SORT OF 'BLAME
GAME' THAT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS IT WANTS TO AVOID -- IF
ONLY TO GUARANTEE THAT FUTURE ADMINISTRATIONS WON'T BE
SIMILARLY TAXED.
TEXT: "THE SUN" NEWSPAPER (IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND) SAYS THE
SPYING REPORT -- CRIES OUT FOR CAREFUL RESPONSE -- WARNING THAT
-- MAKING CHINA STRONGER HARMS U-S INTERESTS. THE NEWSPAPER
URGES:
VOICE: HIGHEST PRIORITY MUST GO TO PLUGGING TECHNOLOGY LEAKS
WITHOUT DAMAGING NATIONAL INTERESTS. ... NO ONE SHOULD
BE SURPRISED THAT CHINA WOULD USE IMPROVED RELATIONS
WITH THE UNITED STATES TO FERRET OUT NUCLEAR SECRETS,
EXPLOITING THE OPEN SOCIETY, BUSINESS CONNECTIONS AND
CLASSIC ESPIONAGE. CHINA REMAINS A COMMUNIST MONOLITH
SUSPICIOUS OF THE OUTSIDE WORLD.
TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF U-S EDITORIAL
COMMENT.
NEB/GE/RAE
27-May-99 1:20 PM EDT (1720 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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