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DATE=7/19/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251902
TITLE=CHINA / U-S / TAIWAN (L)
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  CHINA'S OFFICIAL NEWS AGENCY SAYS CHINESE PRESIDENT JIANG
ZEMIN HAS TOLD PRESIDENT CLINTON BEIJING WILL  NOT  RULE OUT THE 
USE OF FORCE AGAINST TAIWAN -- IF THE ISLAND TRIES TO CARVE OUT A
SEPARATE IDENTITY.  V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ROGER WILKISON REPORTS 
THE TWO PRESIDENTS SPOKE ON THE TELEPHONE SUNDAY ABOUT THE LATEST
CRISIS IN CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS.
TEXT:  CHINA'S XINHUA NEWS AGENCY -- IN A REPORT THAT GOT 
PROMINENT PLAY  MONDAY IN THE STATE-OWNED NEWS MEDIA -- QUOTES 
MR. JIANG AS TELLING MR.  CLINTON THAT BEIJING --  IN HIS WORDS 
-- IS NOT COMMITTED TO ABANDONING THE USE OF FORCE ON THE TAIWAN 
ISSUE.
IT WAS MR. JIANG'S FIRST PUBLIC REMARK ON TAIWAN'S DECISION TO 
SCRAP THE  CONCEPT THAT THE ISLAND AND THE MAINLAND ARE TWO 
POLITICAL ENTITIES UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF ONE CHINA.  TAIWANESE 
PRESIDENT LEE TENG-HUI SPARKED  CHINA'S FURY NINE DAYS AGO WHEN 
HE SAID RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO SHOULD HENCEFORTH BE CONDUCTED 
ON A STATE-TO-STATE BASIS.
CHINA VIEWS TAIWAN AS A WAYWARD PROVINCE THAT MUST BE BROUGHT 
UNDER  BEIJING'S SWAY, BY FORCE IF NECESSARY, AND ESPECIALLY IF 
THE ISLAND DECLARES FORMAL INDEPENDENCE.
XINHUA SAYS MR. CLINTON REAFFIRMED WASHINGTON'S POLICY THAT THERE
IS ONLY  ONE CHINA.  THAT WAS CONFIRMED BY WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN 
DAVID LEAVY, WHO  SAID MR. CLINTON ALSO TOLD PRESIDENT JIANG THAT
HE HOPES CROSS-STRAIT  ISSUES CAN BE RESOLVED PEACEFULLY AND THAT
BOTH SIDES CAN MAINTAIN A DIALOGUE.  BUT MR. LEAVY WOULD NOT 
COMMENT ON MR. JIANG'S REPORTED REMARK THAT CHINA WILL NOT RULE 
OUT THE USE OF FORCE.
LAST WEEK, AS THE CHINESE MILITARY WAS VOWING TO TAKE TAIWAN BY 
FORCE,  WASHINGTON WARNED BEIJING THAT ANY EFFORT TO DETERMINE 
THE ISLAND'S FUTURE  BY OTHER THAN PEACEFUL MEANS WOULD BE OF 
GRAVE CONCERN TO THE UNITED STATES.
XINHUA SAYS MR. JIANG TOLD MR. CLINTON CHINA IS COMMITTED TO 
PEACEFUL  REUNIFICATION WITH TAIWAN BUT WILL NOT TOLERATE FOREIGN
INTERVENTION IN THE ISSUE.  (SIGNED)
NEB/RW/JO/PLM
19-Jul-99 3:43 AM EDT (0743 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.