DATE=7/9/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251593
TITLE=CHINA / JAPAN (L)
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: JAPAN AND CHINA HAVE SEALED AN AGREEMENT ON CHINA'S ENTRY
TO THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION, EDGING BEIJING A STEP CLOSER TO
ITS 13-YEAR-OLD GOAL OF JOINING GLOBAL TRADE'S RULE-MAKING BODY.
V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ROGER WILKISON REPORTS THE W-T-O DEAL WAS THE
HIGH POINT OF A SINO-JAPANESE SUMMIT DOMINATED BY RISING REGIONAL
SECURITY CONCERNS.
TEXT: THE W-T-O DEAL CAME AS JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER KEIZO
OBUCHI NEARED THE END OF A THREE-DAY VISIT TO BEIJING. A SENIOR
JAPANESE OFFICIAL TOLD REPORTERS THAT CHINA HAS ASKED JAPAN TO
KEEP THE CONTENTS OF THE DEAL SECRET. IT IS THE FIRST SUCH
AGREEMENT BETWEEN BEIJING AND A MAJOR INDUSTRIALIZED NATION.
CHINA STILL HAS TO NEGOTIATE ITS ENTRY INTO W-T-O WITH THE UNITED
STATES AND THE EUROPEAN UNION. MR. OBUCHI URGED CHINA TO RESTART
W-T-O TALKS WITH THE UNITED STATES THAT BEIJING SUSPENDED IN
ANGER OVER NATO'S BOMBING OF ITS EMBASSY IN YUGOSLAVIA. BUT THE
SENIOR JAPANESE OFFICIAL SAYS PREMIER ZHU TOLD MR. OBUCHI THE
TIME IS NOT RIPE FOR THOSE TALKS TO RESUME. THE JAPANESE
OFFICIAL QUOTED MR. ZHU AS SAYING THAT, WHEN THE TIME IS RIPE,
CHINA WILL NOT WITHDRAW TRADE CONCESSIONS IT HAS ALREADY
OFFERED TO WASHINGTON.
MR. OBUCHI ALSO SOUGHT TO ALLAY CHINESE FEARS THAT TOKYO'S
STRENGTHENED MILITARY ALLIANCE WITH WASHINGTON POSES A THREAT TO
CHINA AND ITS DESIRE TO REUNITE TAIWAN WITH THE MAINLAND. THE
JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER SAYS HE TOLD CHINESE LEADERS JAPAN HAS
NO INTENTION OF RE-EMERGING AS A MILITARY POWER AND THAT THE
JAPAN/U-S ALLIANCE IS AIMED ONLY AT PROTECTING JAPAN'S SECURITY.
MR. OBUCHI TOLD REPORTERS HE RAISED JAPAN'S OWN SECURITY CONCERNS
IN MEETINGS WITH PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN, LEGISLATIVE BOSS LI PENG
AND MR. ZHU. HE SAYS HE URGED BEIJING TO USE ITS INFLUENCE WITH
NORTH KOREA TO PERSUADE PYONGYANG NOT TO TEST-FIRE A NEW
BALLISTIC MISSILE EVEN MORE POWERFUL THAN THE ONE WHICH FLEW OVER
JAPAN LAST YEAR AND SENT SHOCKWAVES THROUGH THE ISLAND NATION.
SPEAKING THROUGH AN INTERPRETER, HE TOLD REPORTERS HOW MR. ZHU
REACTED TO HIS REQUEST.
/// INTERPRETER ACTUALITY ///
PREMIER ZHU RONGJI STATED THAT CHINA HAS BEEN DOING ITS
BEST FOR PEACE AND STABILITY ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA AND
SHALL CONTINUE TO MAKE ALL POSSIBLE EFFORTS IN THAT
RESPECT AND THAT ANY PARTY CONCERNED SHOULD REFRAIN FROM
ANY ACT THAT WILL RUN COUNTER TO PEACE AND STABILITY ON
THE KOREAN PENINSULA.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
MR. OBUCHI SAYS LI PENG -- WHO IS EXPECTED TO VISIT NORTH KOREA
LATER THIS YEAR -- OFFERED TO CONVEY JAPAN'S CONCERNS TO THE
NORTH KOREANS SHOULD SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY ARISE. BUT ONE JAPANESE
OFFICIAL SAYS NORTH KOREA COULD VERY WELL LAUNCH A MISSILE BEFORE
MR. LI ARRIVES IN PYONGYANG. (SIGNED)
NEB/RW/KL
09-Jul-99 9:15 AM EDT (1315 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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