DATE=10/15/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE= CHINA/PRESIDENT(L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-255068
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Chinese President Jiang Zemin is taking to
the world stage again after reinforcing his status as
his country's supreme leader during Communist China's
50th anniversary celebrations two weeks ago. V-O-A
correspondent Roger Wilkison reports Mr. Jiang leaves
Beijing next Monday on a 17-day trip through six
countries in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East
that will be largely ceremonial.
TEXT: Mr. Jiang will be visiting Britain, France,
Portugal, Morocco, Algeria and Saudi Arabia. And even
though matters of substance will take second place to
pomp and circumstance, Chinese Foreign Ministry
officials told reporters Friday that their president
is ready to exchange views with his hosts on any major
issues of concern.
Guan Shengyuan - the head of the Foreign Ministry's
Western Europe Department - mentioned three of those
issues: China's campaign to join the World Trade
Organization, the situation in Pakistan, and the
refusal of the U-S Senate to ratify the Comprehensive
Nuclear Test ban Treaty (or C-T-B-T). Speaking
through an interpreter, Mr. Guan says he is sure Mr.
Jiang's hosts - as well as the Chinese President
himself - will express their concern over Washington's
failure to ratify the treaty.
/// INTERPRETER ACTUALITY ///
The refusal of the U-S Senate to ratify C-T-B-T
has concerned all the countries in the world.So
I think , very possibly, this matter will be
talked about during President Jiang Zemin's
talks with the leaders of these countries.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
Mr. Guan played down any expectation that China and
the three members of the European Union he will visit
will reach an agreement on China's admission to the
World Trade Organization during Mr. Jiang's trip.
Talks between China and the European Union - and also
between China and the United States - on China's
joining the world trade group are at a standstill.
But Mr. Guan says speeding up those discussions is not
the purpose of Mr. Jiang's trip.
/// INTERPRETER ACTUALITY ///
This visit by President Jiang Zemin is a state
visit. The purpose is not to reach an agreement
on any detailed issue or detailed matter.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
Mr. Jiang will be the first Chinese head-of-state to
visit Britain. And Mr. Guan let it be known that
lavish royal pomp in London is as important as
anything else on the President's four-day stop there.
/// INTERPRETER ACTUALITY ///
The British side has already made a complete set
of particular arrangements for the state visit.
I'm sure the British side will accord the
Chinese side with a grand and warm reception.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
Chinese television cameras are certain to linger on
the pageantry, not only in Britain but on Mr. Jiang's
other stops as well. But Chinese dissidents in London
and supporters of the human rights group Amnesty
International in Paris have pledged to demonstrate
against the Chinese leader. Mr. Guan says those
people enjoy little popular support.
/// INTERPRETER ACTUALITY ///
Some people with ulterior motives are going to
make use of this opportunity to destroy the
smooth proceeding of the visit and to disturb
the development of bilateral relations. I don't
think that their purpose will be achieved.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
A Western European diplomat in Beijing says that,
despite the lack of substance surrounding Mr. Jiang's
trip, the important thing for the Chinese President is
that his latest world tour will burnish his image at
home as an international statesman. (Signed)
NEB/RW/JP
15-Oct-1999 09:25 AM EDT (15-Oct-1999 1325 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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