DATE=6/1/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43544
TITLE=CHINA / U-S
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: CHINA HAS SHARPENED ITS CRITICISM OF THE UNITED STATES,
CALLING THE INDICTMENT OF YUGOSLAVIA'S PRESIDENT FOR WAR CRIMES A
U-S PLOT AND DEMANDING THAT WASHINGTON CANCEL A WEAPONS SALE TO
TAIWAN. AS V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ROGER WILKISON REPORTS, WESTERN
DIPLOMATS IN BEIJING COMPLAIN CHINA IS SENDING MIXED SIGNALS
ABOUT HOW AND WHEN IT WANTS TO REBUILD RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED
STATES.
TEXT: U-S / CHINA RELATIONS TOOK A NOSE-DIVE ON MAY 7TH, WHEN
NATO BOMBS HIT THE CHINESE EMBASSY IN BELGRADE, KILLING THREE
PEOPLE AND INJURING 20 OTHERS. WASHINGTON IMMEDIATELY DECLARED
THE ATTACK A MISTAKE AND APOLOGIZED TO BEIJING, BUT CHINA HAS
STEADFASTLY MAINTAINED THAT THE STRIKE WAS DELIBERATE AND WAS
MEANT TO PUNISH BEIJING FOR ITS OPPOSITION TO NATO ACTIONS
AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA.
ON TUESDAY, CHINA LEVELED NEW ACCUSATIONS AT WASHINGTON OVER
YUGOSLAVIA. FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ZHU BANGZAO -- SPEAKING
THROUGH AN INTERPRETER -- SAID THE INDICTMENT OF YUGOSLAV
PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC BY THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL IN THE
NETHERLANDS WAS WHAT HE CALLED A SPECIALLY PLANNED PLOT BY THE
UNITED STATES AND A SMALL NUMBER OF WESTERN COUNTRIES.
/// INTERPRETER ACTUALITY ///
THE OBJECTIVE IS TO JUSTIFY THE MILITARY ACTION AGAINST
YUGOSLAVIA BY U-S-LED NATO AND TO IMPOSE PRESSURE ON YUGOSLAVIA
AND TO SABOTAGE EFFORTS TO POLITICALLY RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
MR. ZHU SAYS THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL SHOULD NOT ALLOW ITSELF TO
BECOME A POLITICAL TOOL OF THE WESTERN ALLIANCE.
THE CHINESE SPOKESMAN ALSO DEMANDED THAT WASHINGTON CANCEL A
23-MILLION-DOLLAR SALE OF AIR-TO-SURFACE ANTI-TANK MISSILES TO
TAIWAN. HE CALLED THE SALE INTERFERENCE IN CHINA'S INTERNAL
AFFAIRS AND A THREAT TO ITS SECURITY.
CHINA HAS REFUSED TO RULE OUT THE USE OF FORCE TO REUNIFY TAIWAN
WITH THE MAINLAND.
THE RELEASE LAST WEEK OF A CONGRESSIONAL REPORT ALLEGING THAT
CHINA STOLE U-S NUCLEAR SECRETS OVER A 20-YEAR SPAN HAS SENT SINO
/ U-S RELATIONS INTO A FURTHER DOWNWARD SPIRAL. CHINA HAS CALLED
THE REPORT GROUNDLESS.
WASHINGTON IS UPSET THAT BEIJING ORGANIZED THREE DAYS OF VIOLENT
DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST U-S DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN CHINA. BUT
BEIJING MAINTAINS THAT RELATIONS CANNOT IMPROVE UNTIL THE UNITED
STATES INVESTIGATES THE BOMBING OF THE CHINESE EMBASSY AND
PUNISHES THOSE RESPONSIBLE.
/// INTERPRETER ACTUALITY ///
THE U-S MUST CONDUCT A THOROUGH, COMPREHENSIVE, JUST AND
RESPONSIBLE INVESTIGATION OVER THIS, TAKE CONCRETE ACTION TO
PUNISH THE PERPETRATORS SO AS TO GIVE SATISFACTORY ACCOUNT TO THE
CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
MR. ZHU SAYS CHINA IS STILL WAITING FOR A U-S RESPONSE TO THESE
DEMANDS, BUT WESTERN DIPLOMATS SAY WASHINGTON HAS ALREADY
CONCLUDED ITS INVESTIGATION OF THE INCIDENT AND INFORMED BEIJING
IT IS READY TO RELEASE THE RESULTS. THE DIPLOMATS SAY CHINA HAS
ASKED THAT THE RESULTS BE WITHHELD UNTIL AFTER JUNE 4TH --THE
TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1989 TIANANMEN MASSACRE AND A
POLITICALLY SENSITIVE DATE.
WHAT IS STILL UNCERTAIN IS HOW CHINA WILL REACT TO THAT REPORT,
WHICH DIPLOMATS SAY RESTATES WASHINGTON'S CONCLUSION THAT THE
ATTACK STEMMED FROM THE USE OF OUTDATED MAPS OF BELGRADE BY NATO
PILOTS. ONE DIPLOMAT SAYS THAT MAY NOT BE THE MESSAGE THE
CHINESE WANT TO HEAR. (SIGNED)
NEB/RW/FC/KL
01-Jun-99 7:07 AM EDT (1107 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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